Swisher Lake Fishing in Lincoln County, Montana

• Overview

  Montana holds Swisher Lake, in Lincoln County. The surroundings are lake country bush. At 8 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It lies lower than most water we list in Montana. Nearest place of any size is Eureka, 7 miles away. Lethbridge is the closest city, 116 miles away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Swisher Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Lincoln County include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Swisher Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 23°F to 65°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Swisher Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Sophie Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Swisher Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.