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Fishing Dailey Lake: what the data says
200-acre lake near Emigrant. The lake tops out around 22 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Walleye fishing at Dailey Lake
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 22 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 22 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 19 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Dailey Lake
Start shallow in spring: cutthroat trout sit in 3 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 6 to 22 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 22 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 19 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 6 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 4 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 6 to 22 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Yellow Perch fishing at Dailey Lake
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 22 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 22 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Dailey Lake
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 22 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 22 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 19 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. 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 | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 6 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 6 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 4 to 22 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 22 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 19 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 5 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Dailey Lake?
Dailey Lake is about 22 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 Dailey Lake?
Anglers target walleye, rainbow trout, yellow perch, cutthroat trout on Dailey Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Dailey Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Dailey Lake?
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
Kaufman Lake (Falls Creek Lake) (Park) · West Boulder Lake · Bridge Lake · Hebgen Lake · Mirror Lake · Narrow Escape Lake
See how Dailey Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Montana · best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best yellow perch 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.