Upper Lake, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Upper Lake lies in Sanders County, Montana. The water sits 5,925 feet up. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. For supplies, Libby is 27 miles out. Spokane is the closest city, 88 miles away. Within a short drive: Wanless Lake (0.7 miles), Buck Lake out at 1.3 miles, Engle Lake (1.5 miles), Ozette Lake out at 2.4 miles and Upper Bramlet Lake (2.4 miles). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Upper Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Sanders County cover rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Upper Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 57°F in August and bottom out at 20°F in December. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan any trip to Upper Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Wanless Lake is 0.7 miles off. For Upper Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.