Ackley Lake Fishing
A Montana natural lake of 226 acres in Judith Basin County.
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Ackley Lake by the FWP numbers
In Judith Basin County, Ackley Lake is listed at 226 acres on FishMT. A mapped polygon puts the shoreline around about 226 acres of mapped outline. Lewistown sits roughly 24 miles from the shore on a straight line.
It sits in FWP’s Central fishing district, with FWP Region 4, per FishMT. FWP maps no put-in here.
Size as the FWP FishMT page for Ackley Lake prints it (FishMT), read November 12, 2026.
Outline area from the FWP Lakes reference layer (ArcGIS service; mapped polygon area, not an FWP surface-acre figure), read November 12, 2026.
Montana FWP FishMT waterbody page for Ackley Lake, read November 12, 2026.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 12, 2026.
The FishMT notes for Ackley Lake
The elevation FWP prints for Ackley Lake is 4,317 feet above sea level. There is an FWP bathymetric map on file. FWP's statewide angling pressure estimate for Ackley Lake is 5,113 angler days in 2021 (give or take 2,133).
FWP flags a fish consumption advisory on its FishMT page for Ackley Lake; read FWP's current guidance before you keep fish to eat.
Montana FWP FishMT waterbody page for Ackley Lake, read November 12, 2026.
The MFISH species list for Ackley Lake
For Ackley Lake, FWP's map files each species under a rating word where it has one.
| Species | MFISH rating |
|---|---|
| Brook trout | listed |
| Brown trout | listed |
| Kokanee salmon | common |
| Mountain whitefish | rare |
| Rainbow trout | common |
| Tiger muskellunge | common |
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service) (FWP rating dates 2018 to 2019), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 The Ackley Lake plant report from FWP
FWP's 2026 grid lists the following plants for Ackley Lake.
| Date | Species | Number | Average length |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 23, 2026 | Tiger muskellunge | 300 | 7.36 in. |
| May 20, 2026 | Rainbow trout | 14,670 | 4.18 in. |
| May 20, 2026 | Rainbow trout | 10,300 | 2.84 in. |
FWP FishMT stocking report for 2026, year to date (FishMT plant report), read November 12, 2026.
Putting a boat in at Ackley Lake, Montana
FWP shows no put-in at Ackley Lake, so a carried boat or a neighboring launch is the way out.
More Montana launches near Ackley Lake
- Upper Carter Pond Fishing Access Site on Upper Carters PondUpper Carters Pond, 28 miles northeast
- Selkirk Fishing Access Site on Musselshell RiverMusselshell River, 36 miles south
- Martinsdale Reservoir Fishing Access SiteMartinsdale Reservoir, 38 miles southwest
Montana bank spots near Ackley Lake
- Hruska Fishing Access Site on Big Spring CreekBig Spring Creek, 23 miles
- Big Casino Creek Reservoir Fishing Access SiteBig Casino Creek Reservoir, 25 miles
- Lazy KB Fishing Access Site on Big Spring CreekBig Spring Creek, 25 miles
- Brewery Flats Fishing Access Site on Big Spring CreekBig Spring Creek, 26 miles
Gate times and day-use charges at Ackley Lake are not reproduced here: FWP's fee rows are mostly Conservation License prices.
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
How many fish Ackley Lake lets a Montana angler keep
Because the exceptions pages skip Ackley Lake, the Central chart rows are the ones in force.
| Chart label as printed | Limit as printed |
|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 20 daily and in possession. |
| Combined Trout includes brown trout, rainbow trout, golden trout, cutthroat trout, and arctic grayling | Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession, includes cutthroat trout. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 18 inches, only 1 can be a cutthroat trout. All arctic grayling must be released immediately. |
| Lake Trout | 3 daily and in possession. |
| Salmon (Kokanee & Chinook) | 10 daily and in possession. |
| Tiger Muskie | 1 daily and in possession, must be over 40 inches. |
| Whitefish | 20 daily and 40 in possession. |
Printed lake and reservoir season for the district: Open all year.
The rules here are from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, valid March 1, 2026 through the end of February 2027; FWP had published no 2027 booklet when this was checked.
Anglers 12 and older buy a Conservation License, an aquatic invasive species pass and a fishing license; the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations prints $8, $2 and $21 for a resident full season and $10, $7.50 and $100 for a nonresident.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
License prices as printed on the FWP fishing license page and in the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 12 (the two agree), read November 12, 2026.
Who holds organized events at Ackley Lake
Find the FWP-approved Ackley Lake events and organizer results on the tournament page.
Sizing Ackley Lake against nearby Montana water
For more room, Upper Carters Pond runs 30 acres by FWP's figure.
| Water | Distance | Size | County | Ramps | Fish on FWP list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ackley Lake | 226 acres | Judith Basin County | 0 | 6 | |
| Crystal Lake (Fergus County) | 23 miles southeast | about 46 acres of mapped outline | Fergus County | 0 | 2 |
| Big Casino Creek Reservoir | 24 miles east | 16 acres | Fergus County | 0 | 8 |
| Carters Pond | 27 miles northeast | 27 acres | Fergus County | 0 | 4 |
| Upper Carters Pond | 28 miles northeast | 30 acres | Fergus County | 1 | 3 |
| Kolar Reservoir 2 | 34 miles northwest | about 14 acres of mapped outline | Judith Basin County | 0 | 4 |
FWP FishMT pages, the Fishing Access Sites layer and the FWP Lakes layer; outline sizes are GIS figures. Read November 12, 2026.
Grouped near Ackley Lake on the Montana map
A second lake for day two past Ackley Lake
- Crystal Lake (Fergus County)23 miles southeast
- Big Casino Creek Reservoir24 miles east
- Carters Pond27 miles northeast
- Upper Carters Pond28 miles northeast
- Kolar Reservoir 234 miles northwest
Montana outfitters who run trips to Ackley Lake
- Homestead Ranch Outfitters LLCfishing guide, Hobson
Big Sky rooms and campgrounds handy to Ackley Lake
- Lewistown24 miles
Which Montana county holds Ackley Lake
- Judith Basin Countyseat: Stanford
Piscifun kit to stow in the truck for Montana time at Ackley Lake
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Treasure State fish to recognize at Ackley Lake
Photo: Under the same moon, CC BY 2.0
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, Public domain
Ackley Lake: what Treasure State anglers ask
Which Montana county holds Ackley Lake?
It lies in Judith Basin County; the nearest Census town, Lewistown, is about 24 miles away.
How many acres does FWP give Ackley Lake?
226 acres, per FWP; the mapped outline is about 226 acres of mapped outline.
Where should a first-timer put in at Ackley Lake?
The data hold no ramp for it, and the access band gives the nearest ones.
Does FWP rate trout at Ackley Lake?
Look for kokanee salmon, rainbow trout and tiger muskellunge, per the FWP layer.
Does Montana set size limits at Ackley Lake?
No exception names it, so the Central district chart governs; the limits band prints the rows for its fish.
What does Montana ask of anglers at Ackley Lake?
Anglers 12 and older buy a Conservation License, an aquatic invasive species pass and a fishing license; the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations prints $8, $2 and $21 for a resident full season and $10, $7.50 and $100 for a nonresident. Montana requires a license from the twelfth birthday on.
Is bank fishing possible at Ackley Lake?
FWP lists no pier here.
Which counter sells bait around Ackley Lake?
The list has no store inside a 60-mile radius.
When did FWP last stock Ackley Lake?
The newest of 3 stocking rows is 2026-07-23: tiger muskellunge.
Which groups hold contests at Ackley Lake?
Club and FWP-approved events are gathered on its event page.
Put Ackley Lake on the Montana calendar
One click leads to the fee schedule and the limit charts.