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26-acre lake in Carbon County, Montana. The lake tops out around 60 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 27 acres wrapped in 1.1 miles of bank. With a 1.5 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. 25% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.4 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. Carbon County claims this one. If the bite dies, Flat Rock Lake is 1 mi to the south.
Spring puts cutthroat trout in skinny water — 3 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 35 ft, wintering in 10 to 40 ft. Summer cutthroat trout concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 34 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (34 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (34 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Main-lake point (34 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 59 ft.
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 Varve Lake (Forsaken Lake) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Varve Lake (Forsaken Lake) is about 60 ft (18 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target cutthroat trout on Varve Lake (Forsaken Lake).
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 34 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For cutthroat 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.
Fishing on Varve Lake (Forsaken 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.
Flat Rock Lake 1 mi · Crystal Lake (Carbon) 2 mi · Castle Lake 2 mi · Donelson Lake 2 mi · Erratic Lake (Carbon) 3 mi · Two Bits Lake 3 mi · Till Lake 3 mi · Ship Lake 3 mi · Summit Lake (Carbon) 3 mi · Cloverleaf Lake #216 3 mi · Second Rock Lake 3 mi · Cloverleaf Lake #215 3 mi
See how Varve Lake (Forsaken Lake) stacks up: best cutthroat trout lakes in Montana
More water nearby: Carbon County fishing maps (65 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.