Rock Island Lake fishing

Fishing at Rock Island Lake is on a high alpine lake, stocked with Cutthroat Trout and Brook Trout. It is stocked about 0.4 times a year since 2011, most often in July and August. Species guides list dawn, day, and dusk as the active times.

Last stocked

August 1, 2023

Plants on record

5

Since 2011

Species recorded

1

Average size

2.5 in

Elevation

8,156.9 ft

Access and facts

Water type
high alpine

Clarks Fork drainage lake, 3.25 miles by trail from the Kersey Lake Trailhead (right on Trail #565 for the last stretch). Many well-used campsites with firewood available. Popular due to relatively easy access for a backcountry Beartooth lake.

Sources: water_type , shore_notes

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How Rock Island Lake is stocked

The first plant of the year usually falls in the third week of July. In 2023 it was August 1, 2023, later than usual.

No plants recorded in 8 years between 2011 and 2023.

Upper Aero Lake (7.8 mi), Albino Lake (11.2 mi), and Glacier Lake (13.2 mi) were stocked more recently. Upper Aero Lake is also stocked with Cutthroat Trout, Albino Lake is also stocked with Cutthroat Trout, and Glacier Lake is also stocked with Cutthroat Trout.

Fish at Rock Island Lake

Fishing Rock Island Lake is most likely to be for Cutthroat Trout. All 5 plants on record are Cutthroat Trout.

Around the dates Rock Island Lake is stocked, Open-Meteo's 2016-2025 archive puts mean air temperature at 57.7°F in July, 55.8°F in August. That is air temperature at these coordinates, not water temperature. Open-Meteo

Cutthroat Trout 5 plants
Plants
5 of 5
Last stocked
August 1, 2023
Average length
2.5 in

Seasons and rigs are on the Cutthroat Trout guide.

Fish stocked per year

  • 13,7002011
  • 13,7002014
  • 10,0002017
  • 13,7002020
  • 13,7202023

Stocking history

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
August 1, 2023 Cutthroat Trout 13,720 2.54 in report
July 20, 2020 Cutthroat Trout 13,700 2.83 in report
July 17, 2017 Cutthroat Trout 10,000 2.2 in report
July 14, 2014 Cutthroat Trout 13,700 2.5 in report
August 2, 2011 Cutthroat Trout 13,700 2.2 in report

Species found here

Confirmed present independent of the stocking records above, not from a stocking event.

  • Brook Trout : Common, self-sustaining wild population per a Montana FWP mountain-lakes fisheries survey; not a species FWP stocks here. (source)

Species stocked here

Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.

Nearest lakes