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Fishing Vernon Lake: what the data says
14-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.
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Vernon Lake
Start shallow in spring: cutthroat trout sit in 3 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 9 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 30 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Brook Trout fishing at Vernon Lake
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 30 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 9 ft
Common questions
How deep is Vernon Lake?
Vernon 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 Vernon Lake?
Anglers target brook trout, cutthroat trout on Vernon Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot 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. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Vernon Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Rock Island Lake · Fox Lake (Park) · Aquarius Lake · Broadwater Lake · Widewater Lake (Carbon) · Diamond Lake (Carbon)
See how Vernon Lake stacks up: best brook trout lakes in Montana · best cutthroat trout 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.