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14-acre lake in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. The lake tops out around 6 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. 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.
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.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
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.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
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.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
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.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
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.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Shoreline break (3 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
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.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 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), cutthroat trout (2 to 6 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 6 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 Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) is about 6 ft (2 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 walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, crappie, channel catfish, cutthroat trout 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.
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.
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 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.
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. 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.