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11-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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Dude Lake's chart carries 0.8 miles of bank. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. About 16% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 0.3 mi long. It sits in Carbon County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Ship Lake, is 1 mi to the south.
Spring puts cutthroat trout in skinny water — 3 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 40 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 19 ft, rated prime for fall cutthroat trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (40 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Dude Lake carries 3 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 78 ft down.
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 Dude Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Dude Lake 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 Dude Lake.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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 Dude Lake 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.
Ship Lake 1 mi · Crow Lake 3 mi · September Morn Lake 3 mi · Sylvan Lake 4 mi · First Rock Lake 4 mi · Timberline Lake 4 mi · Second Rock Lake 4 mi · Varve Lake (Forsaken Lake) 5 mi · East Rosebud Lake 5 mi · Rimrock Lake 5 mi · Rainbow Lake (Carbon) 5 mi · Summit Lake (Carbon) 5 mi
See how Dude Lake 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.