East Tranquil Basin Lake 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 East Tranquil Basin Lake

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 East Tranquil Basin Lake on the board.

Fishing East Tranquil Basin Lake: what the data says

11-acre lake in Flathead County, Montana. The lake tops out around 25 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.

The outline encloses 11 acres, worked by 0.5 miles of shoreline. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 65% of this chart. It sits in Flathead County. West Tranquil Basin Lake sits 1 mi northwest — the closest neighbouring chart.

Walleye fishing at East Tranquil Basin Lake

Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 14 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	4 to 15 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (3 ft)	1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig
Summer	8 to 25 ft	dusk & dawn	Break off the point (14 ft)	Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 25 ft	dusk & night	Break off the point (14 ft)	Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow
Winter	8 to 25 ft	dusk & dawn	Deep basin (23 ft)	Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait

Northern Pike fishing at East Tranquil Basin Lake

Spring northern pike on East Tranquil Basin Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 14 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	open water	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (14 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (14 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Break off the point (14 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Yellow Perch fishing at East Tranquil Basin Lake

Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 25 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 23 ft, rated prime for fall 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	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	8 to 25 ft	dawn	Deep basin (23 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday	Deep basin (23 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (23 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at East Tranquil Basin Lake

Spring smallmouth bass on East Tranquil Basin Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 25 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 14 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (3 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	8 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (14 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (14 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	8 to 25 ft	midday	Break off the point (14 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at East Tranquil Basin Lake

Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 7 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 25 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (14 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	7 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (14 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	7 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (14 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	5 to 25 ft	dawn	Break off the point (14 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Lake Trout fishing at East Tranquil Basin Lake

Early season lake trout use the shallows, holding in 6 to 25 ft. Even in summer they hold at 8 to 25 ft; winter keeps them in 6 to 25 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 23 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	6 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (14 ft)	Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow)
Summer	8 to 25 ft	dawn	Deep basin (23 ft)	White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dusk & dawn	Break off the point (14 ft)	Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs
Winter	6 to 25 ft	dawn	Deep basin (23 ft)	White tube jig, Airplane jig

East Tranquil Basin Lake also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 3 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 23 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 23 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 14 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 3 ft

East Tranquil Basin Lake 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 East Tranquil Basin Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is East Tranquil Basin Lake?

East Tranquil Basin Lake is about 25 ft (8 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 East Tranquil Basin Lake?

Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, lake trout, crappie, channel catfish on East Tranquil Basin Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.

Where is the best fishing spot on East Tranquil Basin Lake?

Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish East Tranquil Basin 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.

What are the fishing regulations for East Tranquil Basin Lake?

Fishing on East Tranquil Basin 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.

Nearby waters

West Tranquil Basin Lake 1 mi · Marion Lake 9 mi · Dickey Lake (Flathead) 11 mi · Hungry Horse Reservoir 14 mi · Handkerchief Lake 16 mi · Margaret Lake (Flathead) 17 mi · Big Hawk Lake 18 mi · Cliff Lake (Flathead) 19 mi · Pilgrim Lake 19 mi · North Biglow Lake 19 mi · Black Lake 20 mi · Birch Lake 20 mi

See how East Tranquil Basin Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Montana · best walleye lakes in Montana · best northern pike lakes in Montana · best crappie 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.