Newlan Reservoir 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 Newlan Reservoir

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 Newlan Reservoir on the board.

Fishing Newlan Reservoir: what the data says

495-acre reservoir in Meagher County, Montana. The lake tops out around 87 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.

Traced from the shoreline, Newlan Reservoir runs 495 acres with 3.9 miles of edge. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Roughly 28% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 1.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.7 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Meagher County. For a second option, Lake Sutherlin lies 9 mi east.

Kokanee fishing at Newlan Reservoir

Spring puts kokanee in skinny water — 10 to 30 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 30 to 70 ft, wintering in 20 to 80 ft. Winter kokanee concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 85 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn
Summer	30 to 70 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn
Fall	5 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon
Winter	20 to 80 ft	dawn	Deep basin (85 ft)	Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon

Brook Trout fishing at Newlan Reservoir

Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Summer brook trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 29 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (4 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (4 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Back-bay flat (15 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Lake Whitefish fishing at Newlan Reservoir

Spring lake whitefish on Newlan Reservoir hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 26 to 87 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 85 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	15 to 45 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small)
Summer	26 to 87 ft	dawn	Deep basin (85 ft)	Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon
Fall	8 to 30 ft	dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva
Winter	25 to 70 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Newlan Reservoir

When the water first warms, cutthroat trout slide up into 3 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 29 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (4 ft)	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Secondary point (7 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	10 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Burbot fishing at Newlan Reservoir

In spring, burbot run shallow here, mostly 25 to 70 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 26 to 87 ft before dropping to 15 to 60 ft for winter. Summer burbot concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 85 ft. Fish it in after dark and midday and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy jig + cut bait most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	25 to 70 ft	night & dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark)
Summer	26 to 87 ft	night & midday	Deep basin (85 ft)	Heavy jig + cut bait
Fall	30 to 80 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (85 ft)	Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow)
Winter	15 to 60 ft	night & dusk	Break off the point (29 ft)	Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head

Brown Trout fishing at Newlan Reservoir

When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 25 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 29 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (4 ft)	Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines
Summer	25 to 60 ft	night & dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night)
Fall	5 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	Secondary point (7 ft)	Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon
Winter	5 to 35 ft	dawn	Break off the point (29 ft)	Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow)

Newlan Reservoir also holds rainbow trout (8 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Newlan Reservoir carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 85 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 85 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 29 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 15 ft
Secondary point: point, around 7 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 4 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Newlan Creek Reservoir — ramp (gravel)

Access data: Montana FWP — Fishing Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Newlan Reservoir 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 Newlan Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Newlan Reservoir?

Newlan Reservoir is about 87 ft (27 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 Newlan Reservoir?

Anglers target kokanee, brook trout, lake whitefish, cutthroat trout, burbot, brown trout, rainbow trout on Newlan Reservoir.

Where is the best fishing spot on Newlan Reservoir?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 85 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Newlan Reservoir?

For kokanee, the summer bite is best in 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 Newlan Reservoir?

Fishing on Newlan Reservoir 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

Lake Sutherlin 9 mi · Canyon Ferry Reservoir 34 mi · Hauser Lake 43 mi · Hound Creek Reservoir 44 mi · Lake Helena 48 mi · Kolar Reservoir 2 48 mi · Ackley Lake 51 mi · Gollaher Reservoir 52 mi · Spring Meadow Lake 55 mi · Missouri River 56 mi · Wadsworth Lake 64 mi · Crystal Lake (Fergus) 68 mi

See how Newlan Reservoir stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best brown trout lakes in Montana · best brook trout lakes in Montana · best kokanee lakes in Montana

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.