Upper Cedar Lake in Lincoln County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Upper Cedar Lake is set in Lincoln County, Montana. It sits at 5,892 feet above sea level. The water covers some 65 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. It is among the larger waters listed here for Lincoln County. 9 miles away sits Libby, the nearest town. After that come Bonners Ferry at 34 miles and Ponderay at 36 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Upper Cedar Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. 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. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Upper Cedar Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 22°F in January and 60°F in August. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish Upper Cedar Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Lower Cedar Lake at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Upper Cedar Lake.