Grassy Lake Fishing in Madison County, Montana

• Overview

  Look for Grassy Lake in Madison County, Montana. The bank is 7,224 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 9 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The closest town, Big Sky, is 25 miles distant. For a city, Billings is 168 miles off. Close by you also have: Reservoir Lake within 0.7 miles, Twin Lakes 0.9 miles away, Axolotl Lake within 1.2 miles, Blue Lake 1.6 miles away and Talus Lake within 4.7 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Grassy Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Madison County records list rainbow trout, brown trout, mountain whitefish, brook trout and california golden trout among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Work Grassy Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 57°F and January near 18°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan any trip to Grassy Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Reservoir Lake is 0.7 miles off. What applies at Grassy Lake may have changed since it was mapped.