Fishing at Sears Lake, Ravalli County, Montana

• Overview

  You will find Sears Lake in Ravalli County, Montana. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. At roughly 10 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The nearest place of any size is Hamilton, 11 miles away. Spokane sits 172 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Sears Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Ravalli County records list rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout and sockeye salmon among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Sears Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 55°F at the top of summer and 18°F at the bottom of winter. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Sears Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Garrard Lake at 2 miles is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Sears Lake if anything is unclear.