Winona Lake is a lake in Montana, near Flathead County.
Winona Lake is a lake in Flathead County, Montana.
Use the shape you can see at Winona Lake: check the best cover, the first drop, and one open-water line before moving.
Along the outer drop of a windblown shore, the fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch.
Around the hard edge of the old channel, begin with one slow bottom presentation and one moving bait, then let bites show whether fish are holding close to cover or roaming open water.
Across the weed line of the first drop, start where two things meet: weeds and open water, rock and mud, a point and a drop, or clear water and dirty water; fish that edge at more than one depth before leaving it.
Along the current seam of a flooded tree line, in spring, start with warming banks, creek mouths, and shallow cover; summer usually pushes the better bite toward the outside weed edge or a nearby drop; fall can bring bait back to windblown points, while winter calls for smaller moves and a slower pace.
Around the channel lip of a firm-bottom hump, a medium spinning rod, 8-pound line, a small box of jigs, a few crankbaits, and a simple bottom rig cover most situations; change depth or speed before changing every piece of tackle.
Along the windward edge of the first drop, record the wind, water color, depth of the best pass, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.