Spotted Bear 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 Spotted Bear 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 Spotted Bear Lake on the board.

Fishing Spotted Bear Lake: what the data says

12-acre lake in Flathead 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

The drawn water covers 12 acres wrapped in 0.6 miles of bank. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. About 37% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Flathead County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Sunburst Lake, is 14 mi to the southwest.

Walleye fishing at Spotted Bear Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 9 to 30 ft, wintering in 9 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 20 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	4 to 15 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (9 ft)	1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig
Summer	9 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	Break off the point (20 ft)	Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled)
Fall	9 to 30 ft	dusk & night	Break off the point (20 ft)	Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow
Winter	9 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	Deep basin (30 ft)	Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait

Northern Pike fishing at Spotted Bear 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 20 ft that grades prime for summer. 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	open water	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (20 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Yellow Perch fishing at Spotted Bear 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 9 to 30 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for fall 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	open water	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Deep basin (30 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	9 to 30 ft	midday	Deep basin (30 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	9 to 30 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (30 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Spotted Bear Lake

Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 9 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (20 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	9 to 30 ft	midday	Break off the point (20 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Spotted Bear 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 a 6 to 30 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 20 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	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (20 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	9 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	6 to 30 ft	dawn	Break off the point (20 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Lake Trout fishing at Spotted Bear Lake

Spring lake trout on Spotted Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 8 to 30 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 9 to 30 ft in summer, 8 to 30 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 30 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	8 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow)
Summer	9 to 30 ft	dawn	Deep basin (30 ft)	White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger
Fall	6 to 30 ft	dusk & dawn	Main-lake point (9 ft)	Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs
Winter	8 to 30 ft	dawn	Deep basin (30 ft)	White tube jig, Airplane jig

Spotted Bear 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

3 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 30 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 20 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 9 ft

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

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Spotted Bear Lake?

Spotted Bear 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 Spotted Bear Lake?

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

Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Spotted Bear 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 Spotted Bear Lake?

Fishing on Spotted Bear 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

Sunburst Lake 14 mi · Palisade Lake 17 mi · North Biglow Lake 17 mi · Margaret Lake (Flathead) 18 mi · Swan Lake 20 mi · Van Lake 20 mi · East Tranquil Basin Lake 20 mi · West Tranquil Basin Lake 20 mi · Big Hawk Lake 21 mi · Pilgrim Lake 21 mi · Handkerchief Lake 21 mi · Shay Lake 23 mi

See how Spotted Bear 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: Flathead County fishing maps (55 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.