Swamp Lake, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Park County, Montana. It sits at 8,937 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 10 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Supplies mean a trip to Red Lodge, 32 miles off. The big place round here is Billings, 83 miles distant. Not far off: Wiedy Lake out at 0.4 miles, Marsh Lake 0.6 miles away, Lady of the Lake out at 0.7 miles, Corner Lake 1.2 miles away and Mud Lake out at 1.2 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Swamp Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Park County include rainbow trout, brook trout, california golden trout, brown trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Swamp Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 53°F, the coldest about 15°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid May. In an average year the thaw lands around mid May and the freeze near early November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Swamp Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Wiedy Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Swamp Lake before loading the car.