Big Hawk Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (MT)

Hatch outlook

Grasshoppers (east-side summer)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Oct 15 · until the hard frosts of mid-October; on the Missouri, August hoppers fish mid-river, not the banks

adultall day in high summer, best when afternoon wind knocks bugs onto the water

Pulls fish to the windward grassy banks and edges for months — fish the bank the wind blows ONTO.

The friendliest crossover of the summer: on lakes, drift the windward bank with a bubble-and-foam-hopper — the bubble's splash doesn't hurt a hopper presentation. On rivers, the same rig dead-drifted along the undercut grass banks, or small gold spinners under the banks between rises.

The event happens over grassy banks, undercut edges and windward shorelines

Spruce MothActive window

Typical here: Jul 20 – Aug 31 · a conifer-forest event — it needs fir and lodgepole on the banks, so it's a Rock Creek / Blackfoot / upper Bitterroot specialty

adultmorning through midday — moths don't enter the water willingly — landings are sporadic and near the conifer banks; fish the imitation LOW in the film with minimal floatant, even fully drowned, with a little movement

When the moths show, just about every run produces — large trout key on them so hard that one pattern carries the whole box for two weeks.

Honest limit: a small drowned-surface moth has no lure analog. The workable rig is a casting bubble with a drowned moth pattern along the timbered banks in the morning; otherwise fish spinners early and late and leave the moth window to the film.

2–3 weeks at best, and day-to-day — fish key on the moths when they show and vanish with them

The event happens over banks under conifers — the moths rarely reach mid-river

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Big Hawk Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Big Hawk Lake on the board.

Fishing Big Hawk Lake: what the data says

30-acre lake in Flathead County, Montana. The lake tops out around 30 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.

Big Hawk Lake maps at 28 acres behind 1.2 miles of shoreline. With a 1.7 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 39% of this chart. Call it 0.5 mi long. It sits in Flathead County. Pilgrim Lake sits 1 mi northwest — the closest neighbouring chart.

Rainbow Trout fishing at Big Hawk Lake

Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 30 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 29 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	9 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	6 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Big Hawk Lake

Spring puts cutthroat trout in skinny water — 3 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 9 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 30 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 29 ft, rated prime for summer cutthroat trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	9 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (16 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	8 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Notable structure

The chart marks 5 structure features on Big Hawk Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 30 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 30 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 29 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 16 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 8 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft

Big Hawk Lake fishing regulations

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 Big Hawk Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Big Hawk Lake?

Big Hawk Lake is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.

What fish are in Big Hawk Lake?

Anglers target rainbow trout, cutthroat trout on Big Hawk Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Big Hawk Lake?

Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 29 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Big Hawk Lake?

For rainbow 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Big Hawk Lake?

Fishing on Big Hawk 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.

Nearby waters

Pilgrim Lake 1 mi · Margaret Lake (Flathead) 2 mi · Handkerchief Lake 3 mi · North Biglow Lake 4 mi · Birch Lake 4 mi · Cliff Lake (Flathead) 5 mi · Black Lake 5 mi · Hungry Horse Reservoir 6 mi · Wildcat Lake 8 mi · Loon Lake (Lake) 8 mi · Horseshoe Lake (Lake) 8 mi · Echo Lake (Flathead) 9 mi

See how Big Hawk Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best cutthroat trout lakes in Montana

More water nearby: Flathead County fishing maps (55 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.