Upper Kintla Lake Fishing in Flathead County, Montana

• Overview

  Upper Kintla Lake is set in Flathead County, Montana. Height above sea level is 4,377 feet. This is sizeable water at about 475 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. There is roughly 6.4 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. It ranks high for size among our Flathead County listings. Supplies mean a trip to Pincher Creek, 36 miles off. Whitefish is 40 miles and Eureka 40 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Upper Kintla Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Flathead County: rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Upper Kintla Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 54°F on average, January about 13°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid May. The lid tends to go about mid May and return around early November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Upper Kintla Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Pocket Lake sits 3.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Upper Kintla Lake if anything is unclear.