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12,600-acre reservoir near West Yellowstone. The lake tops out around 75 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.
Traced from the shoreline, Hebgen Lake runs 12,558 acres with 67.7 miles of edge — 8 islands included. With a shoreline index of 4.3, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 38% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 14.3 mi end to end and 5.9 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Gallatin County. For a second option, Quake Lake lies 9 mi northwest.
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 23 to 75 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 70 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 75 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (26 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 23 to 75 ft | dawn | Deep basin (75 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (75 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
In spring, arctic grayling run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 15 ft before dropping to 8 to 25 ft for winter. Spring arctic grayling concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 6 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | 1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Rock reef (6 ft) | Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold) |
Come spring, look for brown trout tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 54 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (3 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Sharp break (54 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Come spring, look for cutthroat trout tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 14 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Spring puts rainbow trout in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| 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 | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 16 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 75 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Hebgen Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Hebgen Lake is about 75 ft (23 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 lake whitefish, arctic grayling, brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout on Hebgen Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 75 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For lake whitefish, 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.
Fishing on Hebgen 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.
Quake Lake 9 mi · Henrys Lake 14 mi, ID · Hidden Lake (Madison) 19 mi · Elk Lake (Beaverhead) 21 mi · Widgeon Pond 23 mi · Feather Lake 26 mi, WY · Madison River 27 mi · Red Rock Lake, Upper 27 mi · Henrys Fork 38 mi, ID · Dailey Lake 38 mi · Lewis Lake 45 mi, WY · Gallatin River 48 mi
See how Hebgen Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best brown trout lakes in Montana · best lake whitefish lakes in Montana · best arctic grayling lakes in Montana
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.