Shay 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 Shay 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 Shay Lake on the board.

Fishing Shay Lake: what the data says

13-acre lake in Lake County, Montana. The lake tops out around 30 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:

Traced from the shoreline, Shay Lake runs 16 acres with 0.8 miles of edge. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. About 66% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.3 mi. You'll find it in Lake County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Van Lake, 3 mi east of here.

Lake Whitefish fishing at Shay Lake

Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 9 to 30 ft. Through summer count on 9 to 30 ft; the winter hold is 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 27 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	9 to 30 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (13 ft)	Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small)
Summer	9 to 30 ft	dawn	Deep basin (27 ft)	Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon
Fall	8 to 30 ft	dusk	Break off the point (13 ft)	Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva
Winter	9 to 30 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (27 ft)	Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie

Arctic Grayling fishing at Shay Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: arctic grayling in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 15 ft, wintering in 8 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 13 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dusk	open water	1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's)
Summer	3 to 15 ft	dusk & dawn	Break off the point (13 ft)	Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner
Fall	6 to 20 ft	midday	Break off the point (13 ft)	Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator
Winter	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (27 ft)	Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold)

Rainbow Trout fishing at Shay Lake

Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (13 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	9 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	6 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (13 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Notable structure

3 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 27 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 27 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 13 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft

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

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Shay Lake?

Shay Lake is about 30 ft (9 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 Shay Lake?

Anglers target lake whitefish, arctic grayling, rainbow trout on Shay Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Shay Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Shay Lake?

For lake whitefish, 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 Shay Lake?

Fishing on Shay 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

Van Lake 3 mi · Fatty Lake 5 mi · Fran Lake 9 mi · Sunburst Lake 11 mi · Palisade Lake 12 mi · Rubble Lake 18 mi · Woodward Lake 19 mi · Swan Lake 19 mi · Necklace Lakes 20 mi · Mcdonald Lake 20 mi · Jette Lake 20 mi · Holland Lake 20 mi

See how Shay Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best lake whitefish lakes in Montana · best arctic grayling lakes in Montana

More water nearby: Lake County fishing maps (12 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.