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8,000-acre reservoir near Fort Smith. The lake tops out around 447 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 10,592 acres of water rimmed by 156.8 miles of bank. The 10.9 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 52% of this chart, as modeled. Figure 33.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 10.4 mi at the beam. The water lies in Big Horn County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Yellowtail Afterbay Reservoir, 18 mi northeast of here.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Creek inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 8 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Creek inflow (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, sauger slide up into 4 to 18 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 45 ft one. Start at Creek inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Deep basin (380 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. Creek inflow is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring channel catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (380 ft) |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Spring crappie concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Dock / pier line (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (380 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The chart marks 22 structure features on Bighorn Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 380 ft.
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 Bighorn Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Bighorn Lake is about 447 ft (136 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target walleye, sauger, rainbow trout, channel catfish, crappie on Bighorn Lake.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Bighorn 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.
Yellowtail Afterbay Reservoir 18 mi · Bighorn River 32 mi · Dream Lake 50 mi, WY · Lake Josephine 50 mi · Coney Lake 51 mi, WY · Big Stull Lake 51 mi, WY · Laurel Pond 52 mi · Joels Pond 52 mi · Lake Arden 53 mi, WY · Geddes Lake 55 mi, WY · Kleenburn Pond 2 55 mi, WY · Lake Elmo 55 mi
See how Bighorn Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Montana · best sauger lakes in Montana · best crappie lakes in Montana · best channel catfish lakes in Montana
Browse all Montana fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.