Crag Lake, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Crag Lake lies in Madison County, in Montana. Height above sea level is 9,534 feet. About 3 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Madison County. For supplies, Big Sky is 23 miles out. Billings is the closest city, 154 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Crag Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Madison County names rainbow trout, brown trout, mountain whitefish, brook trout and california golden trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Crag Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 50°F and January reads 14°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early June. Break-up near early June, freeze-up near early November: that is the shape of an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Crag Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Expedition Lake is 0.2 miles distant. Nothing on Crag Lake should be assumed from this page alone.