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1,332-acre lake in Madison County, Montana. The lake tops out around 120 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Quake Lake runs 1,332 acres with 7 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Roughly 19% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 3.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 1 mi at the beam. The water lies in Madison County. For a second option, Hebgen Lake lies 9 mi southeast.
Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 40 to 90 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 70 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 56 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (18 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (56 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (56 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring brown trout on Quake Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 56 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (56 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (56 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 21 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (21 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (56 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Quake Lake carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 119 ft down.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Montana waters are set by the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — and special regulations can apply to Quake Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Quake Lake is about 120 ft (37 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target lake whitefish, brown trout, rainbow trout on Quake Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 56 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For lake whitefish, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Quake Lake is regulated by the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Check the official Montana regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Hebgen Lake 9 mi · Hidden Lake (Madison) 13 mi · Henrys Lake 14 mi, ID · Elk Lake (Beaverhead) 16 mi · Widgeon Pond 19 mi · Madison River 19 mi · Red Rock Lake, Upper 23 mi · Feather Lake 34 mi, WY · Henrys Fork 40 mi, ID · Dailey Lake 41 mi · Gallatin River 45 mi · Ashton Reservoir 52 mi, ID
See how Quake Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best brown trout lakes in Montana · best lake whitefish lakes in Montana
More water nearby: Madison County fishing maps (6 charts). Browse all Montana fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.