Fishing at Otatso Lake, Glacier County, Montana

• Overview

  Otatso Lake falls in Glacier County, part of Montana. It stands 6,978 feet above sea level. At roughly 17 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Cardston lies 27 miles from the water. It is 68 miles to Lethbridge, the nearest city. Within easy reach: Elizabeth Lake 2.3 miles off, Slide Lake out at 2.4 miles, Ptarmigan Lake 3.7 miles off, Poia Lake out at 4.2 miles and Kennedy Lake 4.3 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Otatso Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Glacier County records list brook trout, northern pike, longnose sucker, yellow perch and mountain whitefish among the fish reported. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Otatso Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 16°F and August at about 54°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid May. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about mid November in an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Otatso Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Elizabeth Lake is 2.3 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Otatso Lake.