Upper Stillwater Lake Fishing near Whitefish, Montana

• Overview

  Upper Stillwater Lake is a Flathead County water, Montana side. The surroundings are rolling bush. It measures some 593 acres, and wind has room to build across it. Some 7.0 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Few waters listed in Flathead County are bigger. 18 miles away sits Whitefish, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Lethbridge, 112 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Upper Stillwater Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Flathead County: rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass, brook trout and yellow perch. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Upper Stillwater Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 60°F on average, January about 18°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Upper Stillwater Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Lagoni Lake, 0.8 miles away. For Upper Stillwater Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.