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Best kokanee lakes in Montana

27 Montana waters hold kokanee, 27 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Landlocked sockeye. A plankton-eating school fish glued to its preferred temperature band — find the school, catch a limit.

1. Hauser Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
2. Swan Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
3. Lake Sherburne — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
4. Mcgregor Lake — 220 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Little Bitterroot Lake — 260 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
6. Ashley Lake — 200 ft max · survey depth data · Yellow Perch, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Seeley Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
8. Pishkun Reservoir — 78 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook TroutWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Georgetown Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Lindbergh Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Salmon Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
12. Tally Lake — 450 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. Lake Sutherlin — 51 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Kokanee, Lake WhitefishWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
14. Newlan Reservoir — 87 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Holland Lake — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, KokaneeWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
16. Hubbart Reservoir — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook TroutWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
17. Lake Inez — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
18. Placid Lake — 93 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
19. Spar Lake — 200 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Lake Mary Ronan — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
21. Glen Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Beaver Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Ackley Lake — 39 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Sophie Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Browns Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, KokaneeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 2 more Montana waters holding kokanee.

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When to fish kokanee in Montana

• Spring 10–30 ft — Schools roam the upper column over open water while it's cool — short leaders, slow trolls.
• Summer 30–70 ft — Kokanee compress into the 50-55°F band at the thermocline over the deepest basins — precise depth is everything.
• Fall 5–40 ft — Spawners turn crimson and gang up off tributary mouths and gravel shorelines; remaining fish scatter with turnover.
• Winter 20–80 ft — Deep suspended schools — an electronics game through the ice.

Also in Montana: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes

Kokanee elsewhere: British Columbia · Wyoming · Washington · California · Utah · Colorado · New Mexico · Idaho