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Fishing South Meadow Lake: what the data says
14-acre lake near Montana. The lake tops out around 33 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Rainbow Trout fishing at South Meadow Lake
Spring rainbow trout on South Meadow Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 33 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 32 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 33 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Yellow Perch fishing at South Meadow Lake
Spring yellow perch on South Meadow Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 33 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 33 ft, rated prime for fall yellow perch. Best bite is early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at South Meadow Lake
Spring smallmouth bass on South Meadow Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 33 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 33 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 32 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is South Meadow Lake?
South Meadow Lake is about 33 ft 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 South Meadow Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch on South Meadow Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on South Meadow Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 33 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish South Meadow Lake?
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Lindbergh Lake · Colt Lake · Lake Elsina · Lake Marshall · Summit Lake (Missoula) · Pierce Lake
See how South Meadow Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Montana · best rainbow trout lakes in Montana · best yellow perch lakes in Montana
Browse all Montana fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.