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Fishing Cottonwood Lake, Middle: what the data says
12-acre lake near Montana. The lake tops out around 30 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.
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Cottonwood Lake, Middle
Start shallow in spring: cutthroat trout sit in 3 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 30 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 23 ft, rated prime for summer cutthroat trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Cottonwood Lake, Middle
Spring rainbow trout on Cottonwood Lake, Middle hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 28 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 23 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 12 ft
Common questions
How deep is Cottonwood Lake, Middle?
Cottonwood Lake, Middle is about 30 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 Cottonwood Lake, Middle?
Anglers target rainbow trout, cutthroat trout on Cottonwood Lake, Middle.
Where is the best fishing spot on Cottonwood Lake, Middle?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 23 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Cottonwood Lake, Middle?
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.
Nearby waters
Salmon Lake · Pyramid Lake · Harpers Lake · Upsata Lake · Seeley Lake · Tuppers Lake
See how Cottonwood Lake, Middle stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best cutthroat trout lakes in Montana
Browse all Montana fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.