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Fishing Upper Branham Lake: what the data says
12-acre lake near 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Upper Branham Lake
Spring rainbow trout on Upper Branham 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 6 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 11 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| 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 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 6 to 30 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Yellow Perch fishing at Upper Branham Lake
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 29 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| 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 | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Upper Branham Lake
In spring, smallmouth bass 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. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for winter smallmouth bass. Best bite is 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 | 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 | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 29 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 11 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 5 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Upper Branham Lake?
Upper Branham Lake is about 30 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 Upper Branham Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch on Upper Branham Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Upper Branham Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 29 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 Upper Branham 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
Lower Branham Lake · Noble Lake · Madison River · Brownes Lake · Lake Agnes · Rainbow Lake (Beaverhead)
See how Upper Branham 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.