Fishing Summit Lake in Lake County, Montana

• Overview

  Summit Lake falls in Lake County, part of Montana. Everything around it is rolling bush. Surface area is around 69 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 1.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Ronan is the closest town at 9.8 miles. The big place round here is Lethbridge, 164 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Summit Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Lake County records list rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Summit Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 58°F, while January sits near 20°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Summit Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Frog Lakes is 0.7 miles distant. Treat access at Summit Lake as something to verify.