Fishing at Skull Lake, Park County, Montana

• Overview

  In Montana, Skull Lake falls inside Park County. Elevation runs to 9,646 feet. Small at around 6 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is high ground by Montana standards. Red Lodge at 28 miles is the nearest place to stop. Billings sits 80 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Skull Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Park County include rainbow trout, brook trout, california golden trout, brown trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Treat Skull Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 47°F for August and 13°F for January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid June. Averages place the thaw at mid June and the freeze at late October. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan any trip to Skull Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Fulcrum Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Skull Lake before loading the car.