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30-acre lake in Carbon County, Montana. The lake tops out around 80 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Crystal Lake (Carbon) maps at 33 acres behind 1.1 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 20% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 0.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.3 mi at the beam. Carbon County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Castle Lake, is 1 mi to the west.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: cutthroat trout in 3 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 35 ft, wintering in 10 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 17 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (40 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 79 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 Crystal Lake (Carbon) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Crystal Lake (Carbon) is about 80 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target cutthroat trout on Crystal Lake (Carbon).
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Fishing on Crystal Lake (Carbon) 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.
Castle Lake 1 mi · Donelson Lake 1 mi · Flat Rock Lake 1 mi · Green Lake (Carbon) 2 mi · Erratic Lake (Carbon) 2 mi · Cloverleaf Lake #216 2 mi · Cloverleaf Lake #215 2 mi · Two Bits Lake 2 mi · Cloverleaf Lake #223 2 mi · North Hidden Lake 2 mi · Varve Lake (Forsaken Lake) 2 mi · Estelle Lake (Carbon) 2 mi
See how Crystal Lake (Carbon) stacks up: best cutthroat trout lakes in Montana
More water nearby: Carbon County fishing maps (65 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.