Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
60-acre lake in Flathead County, Montana. The lake tops out around 26 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 60 acres wrapped in 1.2 miles of bank. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 41% of this chart. The basin spans about 0.5 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. It sits in Flathead County. If the bite dies, Peterson Lake is 0 mi to the northwest.
Spring crappie on Abbot Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 10 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 26 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 25 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter an 8 to 26 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 7 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (21 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 26 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 26 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Abbot Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 7 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts pumpkinseed in skinny water — 1 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 10 ft, wintering in 6 to 18 ft. Spring pumpkinseed concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 7 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring smallmouth bass on Abbot Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 26 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 26 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 11 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (21 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The chart marks 5 structure features on Abbot Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 25 ft.
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 Abbot Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Abbot Lake is about 26 ft (8 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass on Abbot Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 25 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For crappie, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Abbot 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.
Peterson Lake 0 mi · Echo Lake (Flathead) 1 mi · Mccaffery Lake 1 mi · Cabin Lake 3 mi · Birch Lake 6 mi · Black Lake 7 mi · Strawberry Lake 7 mi · Loon Lake (Lake) 7 mi · Wildcat Lake 7 mi · Horseshoe Lake (Lake) 7 mi · Cliff Lake (Flathead) 8 mi · Pilgrim Lake 9 mi
See how Abbot Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Montana · best smallmouth bass lakes in Montana · best northern pike lakes in Montana · best crappie lakes in Montana
More water nearby: Flathead County fishing maps (55 charts). Browse all Montana fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.