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Fishing French Lake: what the data says
18-acre lake near Montana. The lake tops out around 35 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.
Cutthroat Trout fishing at French Lake
Spring cutthroat trout on French Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 32 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 | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 9 to 35 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Rainbow Trout fishing at French Lake
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 32 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 35 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 35 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 32 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 11 ft
Common questions
How deep is French Lake?
French Lake is about 35 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 French Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, cutthroat trout on French Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on French Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish French Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Pearl Lake · Trio Lakes · Hidden Lake (Mineral) · Hoodoo Lake · Crater Lake · Siamese Lake, Upper
See how French Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout 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.