Fishing Season: Check FWP regulations.

Georgetown Lake - MT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

70

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Tip of the Week

1. Keep those fish wet. Water temps are pretty warm up there. 2. It's Damselgeddon out there. Damsel hatch is thick and fish are eating them with reckless abandon. 3. The traveling sedge is out just at dark but the hatch has been very hit or miss this year.

Directions open in app

Map of Georgetown Lake

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Blackfoot River Outfitters Blue Damsel Lodge

5-Day Outlook as of 7/20/21

The lake is fishing well, and will continue to until, well, the ice is back on. Give it a try. You will not regret it.

Techniques & Tips as of 7/20/21

Headhunting and tossing a dry with a short dropper has been working. Stop by the shop in Philipsburg for the best Georgetown Lake Flies.

Current Conditions as of 7/20/21

The lake is fishing well, and will continue to until, well, the ice is back on. Give it a try. You will not regret it.

Local Species Available Check 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):
Damsel nymph N/A 10-12
Hare's Ear Nymph N/A 12-14
Calibaetis adult/emerger N/A 12-14
Goddard Caddis N/A 8-10

Damsel nymph

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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)

Hatches:

Damselflies, calibaetis, caddis, tricos

Best Time to Fish:

Afternoons

Best Stretch:

The whole lake is good. Check the regulations for the closure on the SE shoreline.

Best Access:

Comer's Point, Philipsburg Bay, Rainbow Bay. Check the regulations for the closure on the SE shoreline.