Fishing Mud Lake in Beaverhead County, Montana

• Overview

  Mud Lake lies in Beaverhead County, in Montana. This is pine and birch country. About 3 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Most waters listed here for Beaverhead County are larger. Nearest town is Salmon, 22 miles off. Dillon is 39 miles away, with Challis at 61 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Beaverhead County records list rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Mud Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 54°F and January at 19°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. The lid tends to go about mid May and return around mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It holds true on Mud Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Skinner Lake is 3.5 miles off. Signs at Mud Lake carry more weight than any list.