Morrison Lake, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Morrison Lake is one of the Beaverhead County waters in Montana. It sits in lake country bush. This is a pocket water of some 23 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The nearest place of any size is Dillon, 47 miles away. Then Salmon, 58 miles, and Challis, 59 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Morrison Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Morrison Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 54°F; the cold one sits at 17°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. The open-water window runs from around late May to about mid November in an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It holds true on Morrison Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Coyote Lake is 4.5 miles off. For Morrison Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.