Fish Lake
Flathead County, MontanaView mapDirections
Montana DEQ publishes the water-quality measurements for Fish Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Limited data
Fish Lake in Flathead County, Montana has water-quality measurements published by Montana DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.6 ft visibility.
Fish Lake is a lake in Flathead County, Montana. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Montana DEQ, last sampled 2023-07-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Fish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16.6 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Fish Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Fish Lake
These are the measurements Montana DEQ publishes for Fish Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 16.6 ft down. TSI 37.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 37 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Fish Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Fish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fish Lake in Flathead County, Montana — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Fish Lake
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Montana’s top lakes →
Follow Fish Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Fish Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2023).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Nearby Lakes in Flathead County
Frequently asked questions about Fish Lake
Where is Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake is a lake in Flathead County, Montana. Its water-quality measurements are published by Montana DEQ and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake in Flathead County, Montana has water-quality measurements published by Montana DEQ, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.6 ft visibility.
Is Fish Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Explore Fish Lake across LakeQuality
3 documented falls within 12.1 mi, nearest Bird Woman Falls
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Montana's top lakes, each with its readings
Montana's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Glacier?
Fish Lake is about 6 miles from Glacier National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Glacier →More lakes in Montana
Other Lakes in Montana
Oligotrophic Lakes in Montana
Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS4 samples · 2020–2023
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.