Summit Lake Fishing near Red Lodge, Montana

• Overview

  The Carbon County entry here is Summit Lake, in Montana. It sits at 9,619 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 21 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Montana listings. The closest town, Red Lodge, is 22 miles distant. Billings is the closest city, 74 miles away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Summit Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Carbon County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout and sauger. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Summit Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 49°F and January near 14°F on the long-run figures. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Break-up comes around early June, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at early June and the freeze at early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Summit Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Falls Creek Lake sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Summit Lake as something to verify.