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Fishing Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark): what the data says
14-acre lake near 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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Walleye fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)
Spring walleye on Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) hold shallow, usually 2 to 6 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 6 ft that scores prime in winter. 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 6 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 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. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Yellow Perch fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 2 to 6 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 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. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 2 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 6 ft, rated good for winter smallmouth bass. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | 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 fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 6 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Lake Trout fishing at Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)
Spring lake trout on Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) hold shallow, usually 2 to 6 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 6 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 1 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) also holds crappie (2 to 6 ft in summer), channel catfish (2 to 6 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)?
Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark) is about 6 ft 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 smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, crappie, channel catfish, rainbow trout, yellow perch, lake trout on Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark).
Where is the best fishing spot on Canyon Lake (Lewis and Clark)?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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.
Nearby waters
Otatsy, Lake · Camp Lake (Lewis and Clark) · Coopers Lake · Browns Lake · Upsata Lake · Parker Lake
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
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