Fishing Season: Check Montana FWP regulations.

Georgetown Lake - MT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

32

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Tip of the Week

Ice-off is just starting, which means the edges are getting dangerously soft and unpredictable. Until we get some consistently warmer weather, the lake really isn't fully fishable. Play it safe, stay off the ice right now, and give the lake a little time to open up completely.

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Map of Georgetown Lake

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Blackfoot River Outfitters
Blue Damsel Lodge

5-Day Outlook as of 4/8/26

Up at Georgetown, expect a mixed week of weather with highs starting around 40°F today and pushing into the low 50s by Monday. We'll see partly sunny skies through the weekend, but keep an eye out for returning snow showers by Wednesday and Thursday as temps drop back down. Winds will stay relatively mild, mostly under 10 mph out of the west, making for comfortable conditions once the water opens.

Techniques & Tips as of 4/8/26

With the ice transitioning, traditional ice fishing is out, but there’s not quite enough open water to start chucking leeches from the bank just yet. Use this week to organize your stillwater boxes, tie up some balanced leeches and chironomids, and prep your gear for the open water season that's right around the corner.

Local Species Available Check Montana FWP regulations.

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    Rainbow and Brook Trout

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    Kokanee Salmon

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Zebra midge black/red, black/ 12-14
Egg Pattern Orange 12-14
Adams 14
Balance leech olive 10-12
Jig Mini Bugger olive 12

Zebra midge

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Blackfoot River Outfitters's Recommended Gear

Description: About Georgetown Lake

Georgetown Lake is Montana’s premier flatwater fishery. Rimmed by the Anaconda Mountains (aka Pintlers), it’s also among the state’s most beautiful. But the real attraction is rainbow trout in the 16"- 26" range. Yes, we said 26" rainbows. As if these giant rainbows weren’t enough – there are numbers of brook trout over 16” and many exceeding 20”! You don’t need to travel to Labrador to see fish like this – they live here - and plenty of them. The special regulations imposed now over a decade ago, continue to pay huge dividends. Much of the lake shore is closed to fishing before July 1st to maximize rainbows’ opportunity to grow well into maturity and you must return all brookies to the water immediately. As the water warms in June, these leviathans fresh off the spawn gorge themselves on damsel fly nymphs, leaches, crane fly larva, scuds and midge pupa. Pitch small buggers and leaches to single cruisers and across spring holes through the month. Later in July, continuing on into September, you can fish a nymph or streamer but try sight fishing to them in just inches to a few feet of water. If you’re a saltwater angler, it will remind you of polling the flats scanning for bones, but instead of them rooting out crabs they are toilet bowling dries on the surface. Blanketing damsel fly hatches, early morning callibaetis, gulping midge clusters and the giant olive sedge skating across the water just before dark are the occurrences you don’t want to miss! There is nothing else quite like it in Montana.

Nearest Airport:

Missoula International Airport (MSO)

Best Time to Fish:

Early AM and PM

Best Stretch:

Comers point, Rainbow Bay, Philipsburg Bay. Be sure to check FWP Fishing regulations for the SE shoreline closure.

Best Access:

Comers point, Rainbow Bay, Philipsburg Bay. Be sure to check FWP Fishing regulations for the SE shoreline closure.