Fishing Ovis Lake in Beaverhead County, Montana

• Overview

  The Beaverhead County end of Montana holds Ovis Lake. The surroundings are pine and birch. The water measures roughly 4 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The closest town, Salmon, is 23 miles away. The big place round here is Boise, 177 miles distant. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout. One side gets the morning sun and the other the evening.

• Where to Fish on Ovis Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Beaverhead County include rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Ovis Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 53°F and December reads 19°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Break-up comes around mid May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice usually gives way near mid May, and forms again about mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Ovis Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Morgan Jones Lake sits 5.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Ovis Lake as something to verify.