Chain Lake 3 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 Chain Lake 3

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 Chain Lake 3 on the board.

Fishing Chain Lake 3: what the data says

20-acre lake in Flathead County, Montana. The lake tops out around 100 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 is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

Drawn out, this is 20 acres of water rimmed by 0.7 miles of bank. Nearly circular (index 1.1), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 8% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The water lies in Flathead County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Upper Whitefish Lake, 6 mi south of here.

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Chain Lake 3

Early season cutthroat trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 35 ft game here, winter a 10 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 27 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (27 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (27 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	10 to 40 ft	dawn	Main-lake point (27 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Notable structure

The chart marks 3 structure features on Chain Lake 3; the deepest is Deep basin at about 100 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 100 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 88 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 27 ft

Chain Lake 3 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 Chain Lake 3 specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Chain Lake 3?

Chain Lake 3 is about 100 ft (30 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 Chain Lake 3?

Anglers target cutthroat trout on Chain Lake 3.

Where is the best fishing spot on Chain Lake 3?

Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Chain Lake 3?

For cutthroat 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 Chain Lake 3?

Fishing on Chain Lake 3 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

Upper Whitefish Lake 6 mi · Fish Lake (Lincoln) 10 mi · Tepee Lake 11 mi · Dickey Lake (Lincoln) 12 mi · Blue Lake (Flathead) 12 mi · Martin Lake (Lincoln) 12 mi · Moose Lake 13 mi · Big Fire Lake 13 mi · Murphy Lake 13 mi · Upper Martin Lake 16 mi · Lower Stillwater Lake 17 mi · BIG THERRIAULT LAKE 18 mi

See how Chain Lake 3 stacks up: 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.