Sophie 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.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Sophie 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 Sophie Lake on the board.

Fishing Sophie Lake: what the data says

384-acre lake in Lincoln County, Montana. The lake tops out around 50 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

The drawn water covers 384 acres wrapped in 3.7 miles of bank. At index 1.4 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Roughly 51% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.7 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. Lincoln County claims this one. If the bite dies, Moran Lake is 1 mi to the southeast.

Kokanee fishing at Sophie Lake

Come spring, look for kokanee tight to the bank in 10 to 30 ft. They move out to 15 to 50 ft in summer and finish the year down in 13 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 50 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (12 ft)	Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn
Summer	15 to 50 ft	dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn
Fall	5 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (12 ft)	Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon
Winter	13 to 50 ft	dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon

Burbot fishing at Sophie Lake

Spring burbot on Sophie Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 50 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 15 to 50 ft in summer, 13 to 50 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 50 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run after dark and midday. The summer box starts with a heavy jig + cut bait.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	15 to 50 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (50 ft)	Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark)
Summer	15 to 50 ft	night & midday	Deep basin (50 ft)	Heavy jig + cut bait
Fall	15 to 50 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (50 ft)	Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow)
Winter	13 to 50 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (50 ft)	Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head

Yellow Perch fishing at Sophie Lake

In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for summer yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (1 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (12 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	12 to 35 ft	midday	Break off the point (12 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (50 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Northern Pike fishing at Sophie Lake

Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 12 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (1 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (12 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (12 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Shallow feeding flat (13 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Sophie Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: cutthroat trout in 3 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 35 ft, wintering in 10 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 12 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (12 ft)	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (12 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (12 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	10 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (12 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Sophie Lake

When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 12 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (12 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (12 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (12 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	8 to 40 ft	dawn	Break off the point (12 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Sophie Lake also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 50 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 50 ft
Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 13 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 12 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 1 ft
Secondary point: point, around 1 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 1 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 1 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Sophie Lake — ramp (gravel)

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

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

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Sophie Lake?

Sophie Lake is about 50 ft (15 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 Sophie Lake?

Anglers target kokanee, burbot, yellow perch, northern pike, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, bluegill on Sophie Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Sophie Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 50 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Sophie Lake?

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 Sophie Lake?

Fishing on Sophie 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

Moran Lake 1 mi · Tetrault Lake 1 mi · Shotnana Lake 3 mi, BC · Edwards Lakes 9 mi, BC · Glen Lake 10 mi · Loon Lake 10 mi, BC · Little Therriault Lake 10 mi · Rock Lake 11 mi · BIG THERRIAULT LAKE 11 mi · Long Lake (Lincoln) 11 mi · Frank Lake 12 mi · Baynes Lake 19 mi, BC

See how Sophie Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Montana · best northern pike lakes in Montana · best bluegill lakes in Montana · best rainbow trout lakes in Montana

More water nearby: Lincoln County fishing maps (28 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.