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15-acre lake in Carbon County, Montana. The lake tops out around 90 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Anchor Lake draws 12 acres inside 0.8 miles of shoreline. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 18% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. You'll find it in Carbon County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Big Butte Lake, 0 mi northeast of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 39 ft range, good in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (39 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | open water | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 27 to 90 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 83 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (32 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 27 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (83 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (32 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (83 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 39 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 | open water | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (32 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (32 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (39 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring cutthroat trout on Anchor Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 39 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (32 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (32 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (39 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
3 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 83 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Anchor Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Anchor Lake is about 90 ft (27 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 brook trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout on Anchor Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species listed for the nearest surveyed lakes in the region, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 83 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook trout, 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 Anchor 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.
Big Butte Lake 0 mi · Desolation Lake 1 mi · Jordan Lake (Carbon) 1 mi · Till Lake 1 mi · Farley Lake (Carbon) 2 mi · Rock Tree Lake 2 mi · Erratic Lake (Carbon) 2 mi · Lake Elaine (Carbon) 2 mi · Bergschrund Lake 2 mi · Mariane Lake 2 mi · Lake Of The Winds 3 mi · Castle Lake 3 mi
See how Anchor Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best lake trout lakes in Montana · best brook trout lakes in Montana · best cutthroat trout lakes in Montana
More water nearby: Carbon County fishing maps (65 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.