Fishing Silver Lake in Stillwater County, Montana

• Overview

  You will find Silver Lake in Stillwater County, Montana. It sits in mixed forest. Roughly 56 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The full circuit measures close to 1.2 miles on foot. Few waters listed in Stillwater County are bigger. 29 miles away sits Absarokee, the nearest town. For a city, Billings is 76 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Silver Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Stillwater County include rainbow trout, california golden trout, brown trout, brook trout and black crappie. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Silver Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 49°F in August and bottom out at 14°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early June. Average temperatures cross freezing around early June in spring and again near early November in autumn. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Silver Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. 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. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Brown Lake is 1 mile distant. Check the position at Silver Lake before loading the car.