Phantom Lake Fishing Guide, Carbon County, Montana

• Overview

  Phantom Lake is set in Carbon County, Montana. It sits in mixed forest country. At roughly 22 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The nearest town is Red Lodge, 23 miles away. The nearest city of size is Billings, 72 miles away. What else is close: Froze-to-Death Lake 1.3 miles, Little Arch Lake roughly 1.5 miles, Lost Lake 1.9 miles, Brent Lake roughly 2 miles and Lower Arch Lake 2.1 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Phantom Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Carbon County records list rainbow trout, brook trout and sauger among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Phantom Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 51°F on average, January about 18°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. After late May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near late May, freeze-up near early November: that is the shape of an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Phantom Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Froze-to-Death Lake, 1.3 miles out. For Phantom Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.