Fishing at Throop Lake, Lincoln County, Montana

• Overview

  Throop Lake lies in Lincoln County, in Montana. It sits at 1,939 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 12 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The closest town, Libby, is 13 miles away. For a city, Spokane is 92 miles off. Round about: Shannon Lake after 1.1 miles, Savage Lake a shade over 1.7 miles, Milnor Lake after 2.1 miles, Mud Lake a shade over 2.1 miles and Duck Lake after 2.7 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Throop Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Lincoln County cover rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, brook trout and northern pike. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Throop Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 23°F in January to roughly 62°F in August. Winter shuts the surface down for months. After late March the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate averages put the opening at about late March and the closing near late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Expect Throop Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Shannon Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Signs at Throop Lake carry more weight than any list.