Fishing at Upper Grinnell Lake, Flathead County, Montana

• Overview

  Upper Grinnell Lake stands in Flathead County, Montana. The surface lies 6,463 feet up. It runs to roughly 101 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Start from Columbia Falls, 34 miles down the road. After that come North Browning at 35 miles and Browning at 36 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Upper Grinnell Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Flathead County records list rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass, brook trout and yellow perch among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The near bank of Upper Grinnell Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 16°F in January up to 55°F in August. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Upper Grinnell Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Picnic facilities are recorded some half a mile out. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Grinnell Lake sits 1.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at Upper Grinnell Lake are worth checking on the day.