Thunderbolt Lake in Madison County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Thunderbolt Lake is one of the Madison County listings for Montana. It sits at 9,757 feet above sea level. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. It is a small entry by Madison County standards. Nearest place of any size is Big Sky, 23 miles away. The nearest city of size is Billings, 154 miles away. What else is close: Sunset Lake 0.3 miles off, Lake Ha Hand at 0.3 miles, Expedition Lake 0.5 miles off and Crag Lake at 0.6 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Thunderbolt Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Madison County cover rainbow trout, brown trout, mountain whitefish and brook trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Work Thunderbolt Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 14°F to 50°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Break-up comes around early June, and the run that follows is short and strong. 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. That is the shape of the year on Thunderbolt Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Sunset Lake is 0.3 miles off. Confirm before you fish Thunderbolt Lake.