McKinley 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 McKinley 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 McKinley Lake on the board.

Fishing McKinley Lake: what the data says

16-acre lake in Missoula County, Montana. The lake tops out around 27 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.

The outline encloses 16 acres, worked by 0.6 miles of shoreline. 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 54% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. It sits in Missoula County. If the bite dies, Farmers Lake #6 is 1 mi to the southeast.

Walleye fishing at McKinley Lake

In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 27 ft before dropping to 8 to 27 ft for winter. Fall walleye concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 26 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	4 to 15 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (14 ft)	1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig
Summer	8 to 27 ft	dusk & dawn	Break off the point (26 ft)	Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 27 ft	dusk & night	Break off the point (26 ft)	Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow
Winter	8 to 27 ft	dusk & dawn	Deep basin (27 ft)	Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait

Northern Pike fishing at McKinley Lake

When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	open water	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Yellow Perch fishing at McKinley Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 27 ft before dropping to 8 to 27 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	8 to 27 ft	dawn	Deep basin (27 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	8 to 27 ft	midday	Deep basin (27 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	8 to 27 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (27 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at McKinley Lake

When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 27 ft game here, winter an 8 to 27 ft one. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	8 to 27 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (26 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	8 to 27 ft	midday	Break off the point (26 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at McKinley Lake

Spring rainbow trout on McKinley Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 27 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 27 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 26 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	7 to 27 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (26 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	8 to 27 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	5 to 27 ft	dawn	Break off the point (26 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Lake Trout fishing at McKinley Lake

When the water first warms, lake trout slide up into 7 to 27 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 8 to 27 ft, winter 7 to 27 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 27 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	7 to 27 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow)
Summer	8 to 27 ft	dawn	Deep basin (27 ft)	White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger
Fall	5 to 27 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs
Winter	7 to 27 ft	dawn	Deep basin (27 ft)	White tube jig, Airplane jig

McKinley Lake 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.

Notable structure

The chart marks 3 structure features on McKinley Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 27 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 27 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 26 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 14 ft

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

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is McKinley Lake?

McKinley Lake is about 27 ft (8 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 McKinley Lake?

Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, lake trout, crappie, channel catfish on McKinley 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 McKinley Lake?

Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish McKinley 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 McKinley Lake?

Fishing on McKinley 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

Farmers Lake #6 1 mi · Farmers Lake #5 1 mi · Big Lake 2 mi · Sheridan Lake 2 mi · Glacier Lake 2 mi · Little Lake 2 mi · Sanders Lake 3 mi · Rattlesnake Lake #22 5 mi · Boulder Lake 6 mi · Fly Lake (Missoula) 7 mi · Frenchtown Pond 16 mi · St Marys Lake 17 mi

See how McKinley 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: Missoula County fishing maps (37 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.