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Montana › Phillips County › Saco › Cole Ponds

Cole Ponds

Saco, Montana — Phillips County.

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8.9Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 139423233).

Getting there

Flying here

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Cole Ponds, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Driving here

Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Cole Ponds.

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Staying here

Look for hotels in and around Saco, MT.

Search hotels near Saco, MT on Klook

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Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Things to do near Cole Ponds

Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around Saco, MT on Klook.

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Boat rentals near Cole Ponds

Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.

Boat rentals in Montana on GetMyBoat

Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.

Location & fast facts

Where Cole Ponds is in Montana

The red circle marks Cole Ponds.

Fast facts

About Cole Ponds

  • County: Phillips
  • Nearest city: Saco (about 6.4 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 191 mi from Great Falls and 197 mi from Billings, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Montana: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Montana

Official FWP pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Fishing. Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Rainbow trout and Black crappie

Watch for

    Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

    Official fish data (Montana FWP)

    Fish species caught in Montana FWP fish surveys (most-caught first): Yellow perch, Pumpkinseed, Northern pike, Rainbow trout, Black crappie, Largemouth bass, White sucker, Common carp, Bluegill, White crappie.

    Stocked by the state: Largemouth bass, Rainbow trout (2015–2026, 12 years; 31,295 fish in all, fry included) · Latest survey: FWP fish survey 2025 (records since 2003)

    Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Fish Survey Locations from the FWP Fisheries Information System (surveys of Cole Pond Ne since 1990) and FWP Fish Stocking Records where listed. Look up the water in FishMT. Surveys use nets that catch some species better than others, so this is not a complete fish list.

    Fishing gear for Cole Ponds

    Gear picks based on the fish listed for Cole Ponds above. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

    Lake map

    Cole Ponds shoreline

    0.1 mileN

    No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

    Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 139423233), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

    Conditions right now

    Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
    Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

    Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (48.5425, -107.4659). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Cole Ponds. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

    Sun, moon & best fishing times

    Sun & moon at Cole Ponds

    Best fishing times

    Major periodMinor periodDaylight

      Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in MT (America/Denver), and accurate to within a few minutes.

      Contact & official info

      Questions about Cole Ponds

      How big is Cole Ponds?

      Cole Ponds covers about 9 acres in Saco, Montana (Phillips County).

      What fish are in Cole Ponds?

      Montana FWP fish survey and stocking records lists Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Rainbow trout, Black crappie, White crappie, Bluegill, Yellow perch, Pumpkinseed, White sucker and Common carp.

      What towns are on Cole Ponds?

      Cole Ponds touches Saco in Phillips County, Montana.

      Share a tip or fishing report

      Know Cole Ponds? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

      Lakes & ponds nearby

      Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Montana lakes & ponds · All waters in Saco