Fishing Smokey Lake in Flathead County, Montana

• Overview

  Flathead County, Montana, is where Smokey Lake sits. The setting is pine and birch. 23 miles away sits Eureka, the nearest town. Whitefish is 23 miles and Columbia Falls 30 miles. Within a short drive: Burnt Lake about 0.5 miles, Sunday Lakes lies 1.4 miles on, Finger Lake about 2.2 miles, Duck Lake lies 2.4 miles on and Spring Lakes about 2.4 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Smokey Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Flathead County include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and largemouth bass. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Smokey Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 61°F, the coldest about 19°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Smokey Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Burnt Lake, 0.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Smokey Lake in particular, ask before you travel.