O'Brien Lake Fishing in Lincoln County, Montana

• Overview

  In Montana, O'Brien Lake falls inside Lincoln County. Height above sea level is 2,831 feet. Ground here is low by Montana standards. The closest town, Eureka, is 3.3 miles distant. Further out sit Libby (39 miles) and Fernie (43 miles). Within a short drive: Madden Lake out at 0.6 miles, Green Lake near enough 0.7 miles, Black Lake out at 0.8 miles, L-Lake near enough 1.7 miles and Baker Lake out at 1.9 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on O'Brien Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Lincoln County: rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. O'Brien Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 64°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. Open water usually runs from late March until about early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on O'Brien Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Madden Lake is 0.6 miles off. Signs at O'Brien Lake carry more weight than any list.