Notlimah Lake Fishing in Missoula County, Montana

• Overview

  Look for Notlimah Lake in Missoula County, Montana. It sits at 5,138 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Missoula County list. The closest town, Ronan, is 17 miles distant. Pablo follows at 21 miles, then Seeley Lake at 21 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Notlimah Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Missoula County include rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, northern pike and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Notlimah Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 58°F and December at 19°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Notlimah Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Lindbergh Lake, 2.6 miles away. None of that is settled for Notlimah Lake in what we hold.