Reed Lake Fishing in Missoula County, Montana

• Overview

  Missoula County in Montana is where Reed Lake sits. It stands 7,904 feet above sea level. Small at around 5 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Our Missoula County list holds plenty of bigger water. Some 9.5 miles away sits Lolo, the nearest settlement. Spokane sits 165 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Reed Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Missoula County: rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, northern pike and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Reed Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 57°F and December at 20°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Reed Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, North One Horse Lake is 0.4 miles distant. What applies at Reed Lake may have changed since it was mapped.