Fishing at Rumble Creek Lake, Missoula County, Montana

• Overview

  Montana holds Rumble Creek Lake, in Missoula County. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. At about 27 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The closest town, Ronan, is 24 miles distant. After that come Seeley Lake at 25 miles and Pablo at 25 miles. If this one is busy: Terrace Lakes within 2.2 miles, Rubble Lake at 2.3 miles, Woodward Lake within 3 miles, Necklace Lakes at 3.5 miles and Pendent Lake within 4.8 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Rumble Creek Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Missoula County cover rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout and northern pike. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Rumble Creek Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 57°F in August and bottoms out near 18°F in December. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan any trip to Rumble Creek Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Terrace Lakes at 2.2 miles is the sensible second choice. What applies at Rumble Creek Lake may have changed since it was mapped.