Fishing Season: Check Montana FWP regulations.

Georgetown Lake - MT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

32

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Tip of the Week

Late February weather means we're starting to see a layer of snow and slush forming on top of the main ice sheet, so tall waterproof boots and a good set of cleats are a must right now. Since the bite has been happening in quick, localized flurries, don't just sit on a dead hole all day. If you haven't marked anything on your flasher in 30 to 45 minutes, fire up the auger, punch a few new holes, and keep moving until you locate an active school. Remember, the Kokanee bite is incredibly subtle this time of year, so relying heavily on a sensitive spring bobber is the best way to detect those light takes.

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Map of Georgetown Lake

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Blackfoot River Outfitters
Blue Damsel Lodge

5-Day Outlook as of 3/11/26

Up at Georgetown, winter is still holding on tight with cooler daytime highs in the 30s to low 40s and crisp, freezing nights. You'll see some snow flurries mid-week before the sun pops out for the weekend, accompanied by light westerly winds. The lake remains capped with solid ice, making for great hardwater conditions, though the warming weekend temps might create a little surface slush in the sunny afternoons.

Techniques & Tips as of 3/11/26

For those chunky Georgetown rainbows and brookies, focus your efforts in the 5 to 15-foot depth range. A Swedish Pimple or a small tungsten jig tipped with maggots or a piece of fire corn is your best bet—bare jigs simply aren't getting it done right now. If you're targeting Kokanee, you'll need to watch your electronics to see what depth they're suspending at. Drop a small glow hook or a Ratfinkee down to their level, tipped with a maggot or wax worm. Keep your jigging motions tight and subtle; aggressive ripping will just spook these cold-water fish. Action has been peaking right around sunrise and in the hour just before sunset, so time your trip to hit those magic windows.

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.