Murphy Lake Fishing
A Montana natural lake of 141 acres in Lincoln County.
Pick for northern pikePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Whitefish Lake: greg westfall, CC BY 2.0
Before a first Montana trip to Murphy Lake
FishMT puts Murphy Lake at 141 acres, which places it among the waters of Lincoln County. Drawn from the FWP layer, the water outline is about 141 acres of mapped outline. Closest Census-listed place: Eureka, 13 miles out.
Montana FWP files it under FWP’s Western fishing district, with FWP Region 1. FWP lists no trailer ramp on its sites.
Size as the FWP FishMT page for Murphy 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 Murphy Lake, read November 12, 2026.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 12, 2026.
Background on Murphy Lake from FWP
Murphy Lake rides at 3,008 feet above sea level, per FishMT. Drainage goes to Murphy Creek, per the FishMT entry. FWP posts a contour map of the bottom. FWP's statewide angling pressure estimate for Murphy Lake is 357 angler days in 2021 (give or take 263).
Montana FWP FishMT waterbody page for Murphy Lake, read November 12, 2026.
What the fish layer shows in Murphy Lake
MFISH sorts the fish of Murphy Lake by how plentiful biologists marked them, and the table copies those labels.
| Species | MFISH rating |
|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | common |
| Northern pike | listed |
| Yellow perch | listed |
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service) (FWP rating dates 2018 to 2023), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
For the northern pike herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Montana access sites with ramps on Murphy Lake
The site layer records no ramp on Murphy Lake; other launches nearby follow.
Spare ramps if Murphy Lake is packed
- Glen Lake Fishing Access SiteGlen Lake, 10 miles northwest
- Tetrault Lake Fishing Access SiteTetrault Lake, 19 miles northwest
- Sophie Lake Fishing Access SiteSophie Lake, 19 miles northwest
- Beaver Lake Fishing Access SiteBeaver Lake, 29 miles southeast
- Blanchard Lake Fishing Access SiteBlanchard Lake, 33 miles southeast
FWP access sites close to Murphy Lake
- Bootjack Lake Fishing Access SiteBootjack Lake, 28 miles
Opening times for Murphy Lake access sites are not in a usable form, so check FWP before a long tow.
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
Montana limits in force at Murphy Lake
No exception heading in the 2026 booklet matches Murphy Lake, so the Western district chart sets the limits for the fish below.
| Chart label as printed | Limit as printed |
|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 5 daily and in possession, only 1 greater than 12 inches. Third Saturday in May through June 30: 1 daily and in possession, must be over 22 inches. |
| Smallmouth Bass | 15 daily and in possession, no size limit all year. |
| Northern Pike | 15 daily, no possession limit. All waters are open for spearing through the ice and in open water by a person swimming or submerged or as otherwise noted in District Exceptions. |
Season line from the booklet: 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.
FWP-approved contests and weigh-ins at Murphy Lake
Dated Murphy Lake events and printed results share one page, each tied to its organizer or the FWP contest list.
Neighboring Montana lakes and Murphy Lake
The biggest neighbor here is Dickey Lake (Lincoln County), which FishMT sizes at 585 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | County | Ramps | Fish on FWP list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy Lake | 141 acres | Lincoln County | 0 | 3 | |
| Dickey Lake (Lincoln County) | 3 miles southeast | 585 acres | Lincoln County | 0 | 8 |
| Blue Lake | 7 miles southeast | about 11 acres of mapped outline | Flathead County | 0 | 6 |
| Frank Lake | 8 miles northwest | 149 acres | Lincoln County | 0 | 1 |
| Glen Lake | 10 miles northwest | 301 acres | Lincoln County | 1 | 11 |
| Upper Whitefish Lake | 13 miles east | 80 acres | Flathead County | 0 | 2 |
FWP FishMT pages, the Fishing Access Sites layer and the FWP Lakes layer; outline sizes are GIS figures. Read November 12, 2026.
In Montana close to Murphy Lake
Montana lakes and ponds around Murphy Lake
- Dickey Lake (Lincoln County)3 miles southeast
- Blue Lake7 miles southeast
- Frank Lake8 miles northwest
- Glen Lake10 miles northwest
- Upper Whitefish Lake13 miles east
Shops the Murphy Lake regulars swear by
- Northwest Sports Centerbait and tackle shop, Eureka, 14 miles
- Thads Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Olney, 18 miles
- Koocanusa Resort & Marinamarina, Libby, 25 miles
- Whitefish Lake Marinamarina, Whitefish, 32 miles
- Lakestream Fly Fishing Shopfly shop, Whitefish, 33 miles
- Kootenai Anglerbait and tackle shop, Libby, 33 miles
Montana guides listed near Murphy Lake
- Linehan Outfitting Cofishing guide, Troy, (406) 295-4872
- Montana Wilderness Outfitters LLCfishing guide, Eureka
Where to bed down when fishing Murphy Lake
- Eureka13 miles
- Whitefish31 miles
- Columbia Falls40 miles
Murphy Lake on the Montana county map
- Lincoln Countyseat: Libby
Piscifun reels and line to pack for a Montana trip to Murphy Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Blue-ribbon creeks, canyon lakes and wide rivers around Murphy Lake, pictured
Photo: USDA Rural Development, Public domain
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ethan Kan, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Spend A Day Touring, LLC, CC BY-SA 2.0
Questions to settle before the Big Sky drive to Murphy Lake
Where in Montana is Murphy Lake?
Look in Lincoln County; the nearest Census town, Eureka, is about 13 miles away.
What size does FishMT give Murphy Lake?
Roughly 141 acres; the mapped outline is about 141 acres of mapped outline.
Does Murphy Lake have a paved ramp?
FWP shows nowhere to launch.
Which fish does FishMT name for Murphy Lake?
MFISH lists largemouth bass; its ratings are mapping words, not promises.
What can go in the cooler after Murphy Lake?
The Western fishing district standard limits apply, listed above for the fish FWP maps here.
Does fishing Murphy Lake call for a Montana license?
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. A child younger than 12 is exempt.
Does FWP list a dock or walk-in site at Murphy Lake?
Shore access is not mapped by FWP.
Which listed outfitter is nearest Murphy Lake?
Stop at Northwest Sports Center, about 14 miles away.
Where are weigh-in numbers for Murphy Lake?
Every contest found with a date is gathered on the event page.
Plan a long day on Murphy Lake
Read the bag limits before any fish goes in the cooler.