Fran 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 Fran 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 Fran Lake on the board.

Fishing Fran Lake: what the data says

10-acre lake in Missoula County, 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. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.

Drawn out, this is 10 acres of water rimmed by 0.6 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Roughly 68% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. You'll find it in Missoula County. For a second option, Shay Lake lies 9 mi north.

Yellow Perch fishing at Fran Lake

Spring yellow perch on Fran Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 6 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 19 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.

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	6 to 20 ft	dawn	Deep basin (19 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	6 to 20 ft	midday	Deep basin (19 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	6 to 20 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (19 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Fran Lake

Early season cutthroat trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 20 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 17 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	6 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (17 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	4 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	5 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (17 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Fran Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. The depth story barely changes: 5 to 20 ft through summer, 4 to 20 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 17 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (17 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	6 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	4 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (17 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Notable structure

Fran Lake carries 3 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 19 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 19 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 17 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft

Fran 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 Fran Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Fran Lake?

Fran Lake is about 20 ft (6 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 Fran Lake?

Anglers target yellow perch, cutthroat trout, rainbow 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Fran Lake?

Fishing on Fran 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

Shay Lake 9 mi · Van Lake 9 mi · Rubble Lake 11 mi · Fatty Lake 11 mi · Woodward Lake 12 mi · Holland Lake 12 mi · Palisade Lake 13 mi · Necklace Lakes 13 mi · Lindbergh Lake 13 mi · Mcdonald Lake 14 mi · Sunburst Lake 14 mi · Pierce Lake 14 mi

See how Fran Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best yellow perch lakes in Montana · best cutthroat trout lakes in Montana

More water nearby: Missoula County fishing maps (37 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.