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14-acre lake in Park 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Vernon Lake maps at 14 acres behind 0.5 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 24% of this chart. It sits in Park County. Rock Island Lake sits 1 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring puts cutthroat trout in skinny water — 3 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 9 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 30 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for winter cutthroat trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Spring brook trout on Vernon Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 30 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Structure-wise the chart holds 2 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 30 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 Vernon Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Montana fishing regulations →
Vernon 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.
Anglers target cutthroat trout, brook trout on Vernon Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in winter. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Vernon 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.
Rock Island Lake 1 mi · Fox Lake (Park) 2 mi · Widewater Lake (Carbon) 3 mi · Diamond Lake (Carbon) 3 mi · Big Moose Lake 3 mi · Aquarius Lake 4 mi · Ivy Lake 4 mi, WY · Big Moose Lake 4 mi, WY · Broadwater Lake 4 mi · Canyon Lake (Carbon) 4 mi · Russell Lake 4 mi · Reno Lake 5 mi, WY
See how Vernon Lake stacks up: best brook trout lakes in Montana · best cutthroat trout lakes in Montana
More water nearby: Park County fishing maps (31 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.