Fishing at Sunset Lake, Madison County, Montana

• Overview

  Montana holds Sunset Lake, in Madison County. The bank is 9,839 feet above sea level. At 3 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Madison County list. Big Sky lies 24 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Billings, 155 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Sunset Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Madison County include rainbow trout, brown trout, mountain whitefish and brook trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Sunset Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 50°F and January about 14°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early June. Climate averages put the opening at about early June and the closing near early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It holds true on Sunset 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. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Thunderbolt Lake is 0.3 miles off. Confirm access to Sunset Lake locally before you travel.