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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
72-acre lake near Boise. The lake tops out around 46 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Bull Trout Lake maps at 71 acres behind 1.4 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. About 35% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 0.5 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. It sits in Boise County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Cape Horn Lake #1, is 10 mi to the northeast.
Spring brook trout on Bull Trout 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 Break off the point — drop-off, 21 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 | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 21 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, chinook salmon slide up into 5 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 14 to 46 ft, and by winter most fish are in 14 to 46 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 39 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (39 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 9 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (21 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday | Deep basin (39 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
When the water first warms, coho salmon slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 14 to 46 ft game here, winter a 14 to 46 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 39 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (39 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday | Deep basin (39 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Spring arctic grayling on Bull Trout Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 21 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (21 ft) | Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 39 ft.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 21 | Rainbow Trout | 975 | ~13" |
| Jul 15 | Rainbow Trout | — | ~13" |
| Jul 9 | Rainbow Trout | 990 | ~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 Bull Trout Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Idaho fishing regulations →
Bull Trout Lake is about 46 ft (14 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 brook trout, rainbow trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, arctic grayling on Bull Trout Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 39 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Yes — per Idaho Fish & Game stocking records records, Bull Trout Lake was most recently stocked Jul 21 with 975 rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Bull Trout Lake 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.
Cape Horn Lake #1 10 mi · Deadwood Reservoir 20 mi · Toxaway Lake 27 mi · Yellow Belly Lake 28 mi · Pettit Lake 29 mi · Perkins Lake 33 mi · Salmon River (Upper) 35 mi · Sage Hen Reservoir 46 mi · Cascade Reservoir 47 mi · Arrowrock Reservoir 56 mi · Payette Lake 57 mi · Blackwell Lake 59 mi
See how Bull Trout Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Idaho · best chinook salmon lakes in Idaho · best coho salmon lakes in Idaho · best brook trout 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.