Graves Lake near Thompson Falls: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Within Sanders County, Montana, you have Graves Lake. Elevation runs to 6,102 feet. This is a tiny water, and one quiet approach covers all of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Sanders County. Thompson Falls lies 8.8 miles from the water. Spokane sits 99 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Graves Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Sanders County cover rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Graves Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 56°F; the cold one sits at 20°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It holds true on Graves Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Lawn Lake, 0.6 miles away. Confirm access to Graves Lake locally before you travel.