Fishing at Oasis Lakes, Sweet Grass County, Montana

• Overview

  Out in Sweet Grass County, Montana, sits Oasis Lakes. The bank is 8,763 feet above sea level. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Sweet Grass County. For supplies, Big Timber is 23 miles out. Billings sits 89 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Oasis Lakes

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Sweet Grass County cover rainbow trout, california golden trout and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Oasis Lakes before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 52°F, with January the cold end at about 17°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. After late May the shallows warm and the fish move up. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late May and starts locking again about early November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Expect Oasis Lakes to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Druckmiller Lake sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Oasis Lakes before loading the car.