Fishing Pass Lake in Ravalli County, Montana

• Overview

  Montana holds Pass Lake, in Ravalli County. Land around it is mixed forest. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Ravalli County. Head to Hamilton, 36 miles away, for anything you forgot. Beyond it, Salmon at 39 miles and Stevensville at 54 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pass Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Ravalli County cover rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and brook trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Work Pass Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 54°F; by December the average is down near 19°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Pass Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Capri Lake is 0.8 miles off. Ask locally about Pass Lake if anything is unclear.