Quake Lake is what happened when the 1959 earthquake dropped a mountainside into the Madison and dammed it overnight. The drowned timber still stands, gray and skeletal, and wild browns and rainbows live in and around it. Fishing here is atmospheric in a slightly haunted way and technical besides — work the edges of the dead trees, and keep half a mind on the snags, because they'll grab a fly or a leader the second you stop paying attention.
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
45% confidence — limited data
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
SW 16 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
16°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1014 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for brown trout
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
No strong hatch signals at the moment — general searching tactics should work best. The ripple is helpful — fish should move onto the feed and a slow-drifted team or single wet will cover water well.
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
5 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- Temperature (moderate) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Quake Lake · profile
Who this water suits
Strengths · watch-outs · best for
About this water
Quake Lake, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedQuake Lake · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
Quake Lake is what happened when the 1959 earthquake dropped a mountainside into the Madison and dammed it overnight. The drowned timber still stands, gray and skeletal, and wild browns and rainbows live in and around it. Fishing here is atmospheric in a slightly haunted way and technical besides — work the edges of the dead trees, and keep half a mind on the snags, because they'll grab a fly or a leader the second you stop paying attention.
- Lake
- Mixed
Quake Lake · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Quake Lake · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- TroutThird Saturday of May → Last day of November
Quake Lake · permits
Good to know
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Montana stillwater regulations — check FWP.
Quake Lake
Google Places
Quake Lake is what happened when the 1959 earthquake dropped a mountainside into the Madison and dammed it overnight.
Species
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
45% confidence — limited data
Conditions
Wind
SW 16 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
16°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1014 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
77%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp100%
A good match for this venue — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
No strong hatch signals at the moment — general searching tactics should work best. The ripple is helpful — fish should move onto the feed and a slow-drifted team or single wet will cover water well.
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. When no hatch is visible, a buzzer team — black stripped quill on the point, attractor or pearl-rib on the top dropper — is the default starting point on any UK stillwater.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Why this score
- Temperature (moderate) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Gallery · 1
Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Montana stillwater regulations — check FWP.
Directions
About this water
Quake Lake is what happened when the 1959 earthquake dropped a mountainside into the Madison and dammed it overnight. The drowned timber still stands, gray and skeletal, and wild browns and rainbows live in and around it. Fishing here is atmospheric in a slightly haunted way and technical besides — work the edges of the dead trees, and keep half a mind on the snags, because they'll grab a fly or a leader the second you stop paying attention.
- Lake
- Mixed
Seasons & zones
- TroutThird Saturday of May → Last day of November
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Quake Lake is what happened when the 1959 earthquake dropped a mountainside into the Madison and dammed it overnight. The drowned timber still stands, gray and skeletal, and wild browns and rainbows live in and around it. Fishing here is atmospheric in a slightly haunted way and technical besides — work the edges of the dead trees, and keep half a mind on the snags, because they'll grab a fly or a leader the second you stop paying attention.
Fishing better nearby · 5