Lower Branham Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (MT)

Hatch outlook

Grasshoppers (east-side summer)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Oct 15 · until the hard frosts of mid-October; on the Missouri, August hoppers fish mid-river, not the banks

adultall day in high summer, best when afternoon wind knocks bugs onto the water

Pulls fish to the windward grassy banks and edges for months — fish the bank the wind blows ONTO.

The friendliest crossover of the summer: on lakes, drift the windward bank with a bubble-and-foam-hopper — the bubble's splash doesn't hurt a hopper presentation. On rivers, the same rig dead-drifted along the undercut grass banks, or small gold spinners under the banks between rises.

The event happens over grassy banks, undercut edges and windward shorelines

Spruce MothActive window

Typical here: Jul 20 – Aug 31 · a conifer-forest event — it needs fir and lodgepole on the banks, so it's a Rock Creek / Blackfoot / upper Bitterroot specialty

adultmorning through midday — moths don't enter the water willingly — landings are sporadic and near the conifer banks; fish the imitation LOW in the film with minimal floatant, even fully drowned, with a little movement

When the moths show, just about every run produces — large trout key on them so hard that one pattern carries the whole box for two weeks.

Honest limit: a small drowned-surface moth has no lure analog. The workable rig is a casting bubble with a drowned moth pattern along the timbered banks in the morning; otherwise fish spinners early and late and leave the moth window to the film.

2–3 weeks at best, and day-to-day — fish key on the moths when they show and vanish with them

The event happens over banks under conifers — the moths rarely reach mid-river

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Lower Branham Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Lower Branham Lake on the board.

Fishing Lower Branham Lake: what the data says

10-acre lake in Madison County, Montana. The lake tops out around 21 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

Traced from the shoreline, Lower Branham Lake runs 10 acres with 0.5 miles of edge. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.1) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 65% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The water lies in Madison County. The nearest mapped water is Upper Branham Lake, 0 mi to the northeast.

Walleye fishing at Lower Branham Lake

Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 6 to 21 ft game here, winter a 6 to 21 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shoreline break — drop-off, 16 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	4 to 15 ft	dusk & dawn	Shoreline break (16 ft)	1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig
Summer	6 to 21 ft	dusk & dawn	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled)
Fall	6 to 21 ft	dusk & night	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow
Winter	6 to 21 ft	dusk & dawn	Deep basin (20 ft)	Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait

Northern Pike fishing at Lower Branham Lake

Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 2 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Yellow Perch fishing at Lower Branham Lake

Spring yellow perch on Lower Branham Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 21 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 21 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 20 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	6 to 21 ft	dawn	Deep basin (20 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	6 to 21 ft	midday	Deep basin (20 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	6 to 21 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (20 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Lower Branham Lake

Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 21 ft, wintering in 6 to 21 ft. Winter smallmouth bass concentrate at Shoreline break, a prime-rated drop-off around 16 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	6 to 21 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	6 to 21 ft	midday & dawn	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	6 to 21 ft	midday	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Lower Branham Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 21 ft before dropping to 4 to 21 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shoreline break, a drop-off in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	6 to 21 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	6 to 21 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	4 to 21 ft	dawn	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Crappie fishing at Lower Branham Lake

Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 21 ft, wintering in 6 to 21 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 20 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	6 to 21 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Shoreline break (16 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	6 to 21 ft	midday	Deep basin (20 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Lower Branham Lake also holds channel catfish (6 to 21 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Count 3 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 20 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 20 ft
Shoreline break: drop-off, around 16 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft

Lower Branham Lake fishing regulations

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 Lower Branham Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Lower Branham Lake?

Lower Branham Lake is about 21 ft (6 m) deep 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 Lower Branham Lake?

Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, crappie, channel catfish on Lower Branham Lake. 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.

Where is the best fishing spot on Lower Branham Lake?

Shoreline break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Lower Branham Lake?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for Lower Branham Lake?

Fishing on Lower Branham 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.

Nearby waters

Upper Branham Lake 0 mi · Noble Lake 5 mi · Beaverhead River 33 mi · Madison River 36 mi · Gallatin River 36 mi · Brownes Lake 40 mi · Lake Agnes 41 mi · Rainbow Lake (Beaverhead) 43 mi · Deerhead Lake 45 mi · Tendoy Lake 47 mi · Minneopa Lake 48 mi · Kelly Reservioir 48 mi

See how Lower Branham Lake 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: Madison County fishing maps (6 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.