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Fishing Lick Lake (Missoula): what the data says
15-acre lake near Montana. The lake tops out around 24 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 Lick Lake (Missoula)
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 6 to 24 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 24 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 16 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 6 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 5 to 24 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Yellow Perch fishing at Lick Lake (Missoula)
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 24 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 24 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. 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 | 7 to 24 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Lick Lake (Missoula)
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 24 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 24 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 16 ft, rated prime for winter smallmouth bass. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 22 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 16 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 3 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Lick Lake (Missoula)?
Lick Lake (Missoula) is about 24 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 Lick Lake (Missoula)?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch on Lick Lake (Missoula).
Where is the best fishing spot on Lick Lake (Missoula)?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Lick Lake (Missoula)?
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
Clearwater Lake · Lena Lake · Necklace Lakes · Woodward Lake · Holland Lake · Rubble Lake
See how Lick Lake (Missoula) 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.