Tamarack Lake in Ravalli County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Montana, Tamarack Lake belongs to Ravalli County. This is mixed forest ground. Roughly 27 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Size puts it in the front rank of our Ravalli County list. Hamilton at 22 miles is the nearest place to stop. Boise sits 185 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Tamarack Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Ravalli County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Tamarack Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 19°F in December to roughly 54°F in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Time your trip to Tamarack Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Hart Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Tamarack Lake for certain.