Whitefish 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.

Loading depth chart…

Recent catches at Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake on the board.

Fishing Whitefish Lake: what the data says

3,315-acre lake near Whitefish. The lake tops out around 220 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

Drawn out, this is 3,311 acres of water rimmed by 16.7 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2.1) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 4% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 5.8 mi, about 1.6 mi across. You'll find it in Flathead County. For a second option, Little Beaver Lake lies 2 mi west.

Brook Trout fishing at Whitefish Lake

Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 2 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Summer brook trout concentrate at Offshore hump, a good-rated offshore hump around 22 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (10 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Offshore hump (22 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 (10 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Lake Whitefish fishing at Whitefish Lake

Spring lake whitefish on Whitefish Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 40 to 90 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. Put Offshore hump first on the milk run — an offshore hump near 22 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	15 to 45 ft	midday & dawn	Offshore hump (22 ft)	Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small)
Summer	40 to 90 ft	dawn	Feeding flat (61 ft)	Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon
Fall	8 to 30 ft	dusk	Offshore hump (22 ft)	Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva
Winter	25 to 70 ft	midday & dawn	Offshore hump (22 ft)	Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie

Lake Trout fishing at Whitefish Lake

In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. Winter lake trout concentrate at Offshore hump, a prime-rated offshore hump around 22 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	10 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (29 ft)	Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow)
Summer	50 to 120 ft	dawn	Break off the point (102 ft)	White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger
Fall	10 to 50 ft	dusk & dawn	Offshore hump (22 ft)	Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs
Winter	20 to 80 ft	dawn	Offshore hump (22 ft)	White tube jig, Airplane jig

Yellow Perch fishing at Whitefish Lake

When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (10 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn	Offshore hump (22 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	12 to 35 ft	midday	Offshore hump (22 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday & dawn	Offshore hump (22 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Northern Pike fishing at Whitefish Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Feeding flat, a feeding flat in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Feeding flat (8 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (10 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (10 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (10 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Cutthroat Trout fishing at Whitefish Lake

When the water first warms, cutthroat trout slide up into 3 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 20 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline point (20 ft)	Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon
Summer	10 to 35 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (29 ft)	Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner
Fall	5 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline point (20 ft)	Casting spoon, Inline spinner
Winter	10 to 40 ft	dawn	Main-lake point (29 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig

Notable structure

Count 13 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 220 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 220 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 102 ft
Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 61 ft
Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 61 ft
Secondary point: point, around 39 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 29 ft
Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 22 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 20 ft
Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 14 ft
Back-bay flat: feeding flat, around 12 ft
Dock / pier line: dock line, around 12 ft
Shallow bay flat: feeding flat, around 10 ft
Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 8 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Boat launch — ramp
Boat launch — ramp

Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

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

Check the official Montana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Whitefish Lake?

Whitefish Lake is about 220 ft (67 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 Whitefish Lake?

Anglers target brook trout, lake whitefish, lake trout, yellow perch, northern pike, cutthroat trout on Whitefish Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Whitefish Lake?

Offshore hump is the top-rated area: an offshore hump in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in winter. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Whitefish Lake?

For brook 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Whitefish Lake?

Fishing on Whitefish 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

Little Beaver Lake 2 mi · Woods Lake 2 mi · Beaver Lake 2 mi · Murray Lake 3 mi · Skyles Lake 3 mi · Spencer Lake 4 mi · Blanchard Lake 5 mi · Bootjack Lake (Flathead) 5 mi · Tally Lake 9 mi · Lower Stillwater Lake 9 mi · Bailey Lake 12 mi · Moose Lake 12 mi

See how Whitefish Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Montana · best yellow perch lakes in Montana · best lake trout lakes in Montana · best brook trout 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.