Fishing at Mud Lake, Phillips County, Montana

• Overview

  Phillips County, Montana, is where Mud Lake sits. It stands 2,231 feet above sea level. The water covers some 57 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The whole outline is near 1.1 miles, and most of it is walkable. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Montana listings. Malta lies 12 miles from the water. The big place round here is Billings, 188 miles distant. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Phillips County include black crappie, northern pike and rainbow trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Mud Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 70°F at the top of summer and 12°F at the bottom of winter. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Mud Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. US BOR runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Lakeside Unit, 1.2 miles away. Signs at Mud Lake carry more weight than any list.