Mystic Lake, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Mystic Lake in Carbon County, Montana. It lies 7,638 feet above sea level. Roughly 441 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. The margin runs to about 3.8 miles in total. Few waters listed in Carbon County are bigger. For a base, Red Lodge sits 26 miles out. The nearest city of size is Billings, 73 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Mystic Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Survey and observation records for Carbon County include rainbow trout, brook trout and sauger. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Treat Mystic Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 48°F and January about 15°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early June. The water is typically free of ice between early June and late October. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Mystic Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Huckleberry Lake, 1.5 miles out. Ask locally about Mystic Lake if anything is unclear.