Reservoir Lake in Beaverhead County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Beaverhead County, Reservoir Lake is a Montana water. The surface lies 7,070 feet up. It measures about 41 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 1.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It is among the larger waters listed here for Beaverhead County. Salmon lies 22 miles from the water. Boise sits 171 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Reservoir Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Survey and observation records for Beaverhead County include rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Reservoir Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 55°F in July and bottom out at 19°F in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. From about mid May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Reservoir Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A campsite is mapped about half a mile away, which makes an early start easier. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Mud Lake is 4.3 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Reservoir Lake for certain.