Beartooth Mountain Lakes Fishing

Mountain lake fishing near Red Lodge, Montana, offers serenity and excellent Beartooth fly fishing opportunities to anglers in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area.

Overview

Beartooth Fishing is a memorable, serene experience for anglers who want to get away from it all in the 3,000 square miles and 10,000 foot-high Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness near Red Lodge, Montana, and the million-plus wilderness acres extending toward Yellowstone National Park.

Type of Waterway

The Absarokee Beartooth Wilderness Area contains nearly 1, 000 glacier-carved cirques holding crystal clear lakes of which, 300-plus contain fish and more than 600 do not have fish.

Fishing Seasons

Year-round fishing is permitted in accordance with any current Montana Fish and Wildlife restrictions.

Most Common Fish Species

• Rainbow Trout
• Cutthroat Trout
• Brook Trout
• Golden Trout
• Arctic Grayling

Popular Fishing Areas

Deep Lake
This lake is the result of an 800-foot dam formed by a landslide, and it is one of the largest and most popular fishing lakes in the Beartooth Mountains.

Beartooth Lake
Located along the Beartooth Scenic Highway, Beartooth Lake is a great summer fishing destination where wakeless boat fishing is permitted.

Island Lake
Known for Brook and Rainbow Trout, Island Lake is a popular fishing area year-round but especially after melted snow permits easier access.

Lilly Lake
Non-motorized anglers are permitted to fish on Lilly Lake, known for its rainbow trout and grayling population.

Rock Creek Drainage
The Rock Creek Drainage area, closest to Red Lodge, MT, covers approximately 623 square miles, containing 91 lakes in the Beartooth Mountains that average between 16 and 100 feet deep.

Wyoming has twenty-six of the lakes, Montana has 63, and 2 lakes are shared. Wild Bill and Greenough Lakes are the only lakes accessible by car.

More Information

Contact Beartooth Ranger District by phone at 406-446-2103.