Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) 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.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)

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 Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) on the board.

Fishing Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark): what the data says

14-acre lake in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. The lake tops out around 6 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.

Traced from the shoreline, Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) runs 14 acres with 0.7 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. End to end it runs roughly 0.3 mi. The water lies in Lewis and Clark County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Otatsy, 1 mi southwest of here.

Walleye fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)

When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 2 to 6 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 6 ft, winter 2 to 6 ft. Start at Shoreline break. It's a drop-off holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	dusk & dawn	Shoreline break (3 ft)	1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dusk & dawn	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled)
Fall	2 to 6 ft	dusk & night	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow
Winter	2 to 6 ft	dusk & dawn	Deep basin (6 ft)	Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait

Northern Pike fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)

The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	2 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Yellow Perch fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)

When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 2 to 6 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 6 ft, winter 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn	Deep basin (6 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	2 to 6 ft	midday	Deep basin (6 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (6 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)

The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Shoreline break, a drop-off in the 3 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	2 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)

In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 6 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 6 ft, and they winter in 1 to 6 ft. Winter rainbow trout concentrate at Shoreline break, a prime-rated drop-off around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	1 to 6 ft	dawn	Shoreline break (3 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Crappie fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)

The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 6 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	2 to 6 ft	dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday	Deep basin (6 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) also holds channel catfish (2 to 6 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 6 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Shoreline break: drop-off, around 3 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft

Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) 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 Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)?

Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) is about 6 ft (2 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 Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)?

Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, crappie, channel catfish on Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark). This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.

Where is the best fishing spot on Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)?

Shoreline break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)?

Fishing on Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) 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

Lake Otatsy 1 mi · Camp Lake (Lewis and Clark) 1 mi · Coopers Lake 9 mi · Upsata Lake 13 mi · Parker Lake 13 mi · Cottonwood Lake, Middle 16 mi · Browns Lake 16 mi · Blackfoot River 17 mi · Heart Lake (Lewis and Clark) 17 mi · Pyramid Lake 18 mi · Salmon Lake 20 mi · Harpers Lake 21 mi

See how Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Montana · best walleye lakes in Montana · best northern pike lakes in Montana · best crappie lakes in Montana

More water nearby: Lewis and Clark County fishing maps (9 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.