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Rating depth structure for crappie.
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55,261-acre reservoir near Bannock. The lake tops out around 53 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
On the chart, American Falls Reservoir draws 46,312 acres inside 74.2 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 55% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 21.3 mi, about 8.6 mi across. The water lies in Bannock County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Chesterfield Reservoir, 40 mi east of here.
Early season cutthroat trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 35 ft game here, winter a 10 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Creek inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (24 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Early season brown trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 16 to 53 ft game here, winter a 5 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Creek inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 16 to 53 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (27 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring steelhead on American Falls Reservoir hold shallow, usually 3 to 20 ft. They move out to 5 to 45 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 15 ft. Put Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with an orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Start shallow in spring: kokanee sit in 10 to 30 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 16 to 53 ft; cold water stacks them in 13 to 53 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 45 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 16 to 53 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 13 to 53 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: chinook salmon in 5 to 40 ft. As the season builds they drop to 16 to 53 ft, wintering in 16 to 53 ft. Top water on the chart: Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 16 to 53 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 16 to 53 ft | midday | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
American Falls Reservoir also holds coho salmon (16 to 53 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
17 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 45 ft, is the deepest of them.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17 | Rainbow Trout | — | ~13" |
| Mar 9 | Rainbow Trout | — | ~4.5" |
| Mar 6 | Rainbow Trout | — | ~4.5" |
| Mar 2 | Rainbow Trout | — | ~13" |
| Mar 2 | Rainbow Trout | — | — |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | — | ~13" |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | — | — |
| Nov 13, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | — | ~13" |
Source: Idaho Fish & Game stocking records, retrieved 2026-09-03.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Idaho waters are set by the Idaho Fish and Game — and special regulations can apply to American Falls Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Idaho fishing regulations →
American Falls Reservoir is about 53 ft (16 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target cutthroat trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, steelhead, kokanee, chinook salmon, coho salmon, crappie on American Falls Reservoir.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in spring. 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.
Yes — per Idaho Fish & Game stocking records records, American Falls Reservoir was most recently stocked Jun 17 with rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on American Falls Reservoir is regulated by the Idaho Fish and Game. Check the official Idaho regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Chesterfield Reservoir 40 mi · Stone Reservoir 58 mi · Treasureton Reservoir 65 mi · Carey Lake 66 mi · Oneida Narrows Reservoir 68 mi · Foster Reservoir 72 mi · Lamont Reservoir 73 mi · Snake River (South Fork) 77 mi · Lower Goose Creek Reservoir 80 mi · Newton Reservoir 80 mi, UT · Palisades Reservoir 85 mi, ID/WY · Magic Reservoir 88 mi
See how American Falls Reservoir stacks up: best crappie lakes in Idaho · best rainbow trout lakes in Idaho · best chinook salmon lakes in Idaho · best coho salmon lakes in Idaho
Browse all Idaho fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.