Tooley Lake Fishing near Eureka, Montana

• Overview

  Out in Lincoln County, Montana, sits Tooley Lake. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. It measures about 26 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. It is low-lying compared with other Montana water we list. For a base, Eureka sits 8.4 miles out. Fernie is 38 miles and Libby 42 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Tooley Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Lincoln County cover rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, brook trout and northern pike. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Tooley Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 65°F in August and bottoms out near 23°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. From about late March to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Tooley Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Alkali Lake is 1.2 miles off. Where Tooley Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.