Needle Lake Fishing in Stillwater County, Montana

• Overview

  Needle Lake sits in Stillwater County, out in Montana. What surrounds it is lake country bush. Small enough that any disturbance crosses the whole surface. Our Stillwater County list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Absarokee, is 33 miles distant. Livingston lies 37 miles off, Red Lodge another 38 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Needle Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Stillwater County include rainbow trout, california golden trout, brown trout and brook trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Needle Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 49°F in July and bottoms out near 16°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early June. The open-water window runs from around early June to about early November in an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Needle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Dryad Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. For Needle Lake in particular, ask before you travel.