Tin Cup Lake in Powell County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Powell County, Montana, is where Tin Cup Lake sits. The land about it is pine and birch. About 10 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Powell County standards. Nearest place of any size is Deer Lodge, 6 miles away. It is 213 miles to Billings, the nearest city. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Tin Cup Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Fish documented in Powell County include rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Tin Cup Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 21°F and August at about 60°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Tin Cup Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Conleys Lake is 0.2 miles off. Ask locally about Tin Cup Lake if anything is unclear.