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Fishing Kelly Reservioir: what the data says
78-acre lake near Montana. The lake tops out around 18 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.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Kelly Reservioir
Spring rainbow trout on Kelly Reservioir hold shallow, usually 5 to 18 ft. Summer fish stay in 5 to 18 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 18 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 15 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 4 to 18 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Yellow Perch fishing at Kelly Reservioir
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 18 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 18 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch 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 | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Kelly Reservioir
Spring smallmouth bass on Kelly Reservioir hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 18 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 18 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 18 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 15 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 10 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 9 ft
Common questions
How deep is Kelly Reservioir?
Kelly Reservioir is about 18 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 Kelly Reservioir?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch on Kelly Reservioir.
Where is the best fishing spot on Kelly Reservioir?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 18 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 Kelly Reservioir?
For rainbow 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
Minneopa Lake · Deerhead Lake · Sawtooth Lake · Tendoy Lake · Rainbow Lake (Beaverhead) · Lake Agnes
See how Kelly Reservioir stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Montana · best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best yellow perch 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.