Shambow Pond, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Beaverhead County entry here is Shambow Pond, in Montana. The setting is rolling bush on every side. At roughly 7 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. West Yellowstone lies 32 miles from the water. The big place round here is Billings, 178 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Shambow Pond

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Beaverhead County include rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Shambow Pond to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 59°F at the top of summer and 13°F at the bottom of winter. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Shambow Pond by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Upper Red Rock Lake is 1.7 miles off. For Shambow Pond in particular, ask before you travel.