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17-acre lake in Stillwater County, Montana. The lake tops out around 120 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.
The drawn water covers 17 acres wrapped in 0.6 miles of bank. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Roughly 9% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Stillwater County claims this one. Cataract Lake sits 3 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 35 ft, wintering in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 35 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 11 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (19 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (19 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 35 ft, rated prime for fall yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (19 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 45 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 11 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (35 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 35 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring lake trout on Lake Wilderness hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 115 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (115 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Lake Wilderness also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 115 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Lake Wilderness specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Lake Wilderness is about 120 ft (37 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 walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, lake trout, crappie, channel catfish on Lake Wilderness. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 35 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Lake Wilderness 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.
Cataract Lake 3 mi · Sienna Lake 8 mi · Phantom Lake 8 mi · Froze To Death Lake (Stillwater) 8 mi · Imelda Lake 9 mi · Lowary Lake 9 mi · Granite Lake (Carbon) 9 mi · Cimmerian Lake 9 mi · Lake Surrender 10 mi · Arch Lake 10 mi · Sky Top Lakes (Park) 10 mi · Glacier Green Lake 10 mi
See how Lake Wilderness stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Montana · best walleye lakes in Montana · best northern pike lakes in Montana · best crappie lakes in Montana
More water nearby: Stillwater County fishing maps (8 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.