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Fishing Big Lake: what the data says
450-acre lake near Springerville. The lake tops out around 35 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Big Lake
Spring rainbow trout on Big Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 35 ft. Old creek channel is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 18 ft, rated prime for summer rainbow trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 35 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brook Trout fishing at Big Lake
Spring brook trout on Big 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. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for summer brook trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| 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 |
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Big Lake
In spring, cutthroat trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 9 to 35 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 30 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 18 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 16 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 9 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 9 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Big Lake?
Big Lake is about 35 ft 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.
What fish are in Big Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout on Big Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Big Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Big Lake?
For rainbow 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
Lee Valley Lake · River Reservoir · Carnero Lake · Nelson Reservoir · Becker Lake · Luna Lake
See how Big Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Arizona
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