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Fishing Fran Lake: what the data says
10-acre lake near Montana. The lake tops out around 20 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.
Yellow Perch fishing at Fran Lake
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 6 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 19 ft that scores prime in fall. 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 | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Fran Lake
Spring cutthroat trout on Fran Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 6 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. 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 | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 4 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Fran Lake
Spring rainbow trout on Fran Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. Summer fish stay in 5 to 20 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 20 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 17 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. 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 | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 4 to 20 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 19 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 17 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Common questions
How deep is Fran Lake?
Fran Lake is about 20 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 Fran Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, yellow perch, cutthroat trout on Fran Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Fran Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Fran Lake?
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in 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
Shay Lake · Van Lake · Fatty Lake · Lindbergh Lake · South Meadow Lake · Rubble Lake
See how Fran Lake stacks up: 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.