Fishing at North Kootenai Lake, Ravalli County, Montana

• Overview

  North Kootenai Lake lies in Ravalli County, Montana. Around the bank it is lake country bush. This is a pocket water of some 14 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. 12 miles away sits Stevensville, the nearest town. Beyond it, Lolo at 18 miles and Hamilton at 23 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on North Kootenai Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Ravalli County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish North Kootenai Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 18°F in December and 55°F in August. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid May. Break-up sits around mid May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. That is the shape of the year on North Kootenai Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Middle Fork Lakes, 0.5 miles out. None of that is settled for North Kootenai Lake in what we hold.