Rainy Lake Fishing in Missoula County, Montana

• Overview

  Out in Missoula County, Montana, sits Rainy Lake. The ground around here is rolling bush. The water covers some 82 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 1.4 miles on foot. It ranks high for size among our Missoula County listings. The closest town, Seeley Lake, is 12 miles distant. Further out sit Ronan (27 miles) and Pablo (30 miles). No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Rainy Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Missoula County list rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, northern pike and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Rainy Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 61°F and January about 21°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Rainy Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Lake Alva is 1.9 miles distant. Nothing on Rainy Lake should be assumed from this page alone.