Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
7,500-acre reservoir near Grand View. A Snake/Bruneau confluence reservoir in the Owyhee desert known for smallmouth, crappie and catfish plus a trout tailwater. The lake tops out around 90 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
There are 54.7 miles of drawn shoreline to work. An index of 5.2 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. About 64% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 9 mi long by 6.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Owyhee County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Mountain Home Reservoir, is 19 mi to the northeast.
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 45 ft one. Start at Rock reef. It's a rock pile holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (17 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (23 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (17 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (17 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (17 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 10 to 25 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (17 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Sharp break (17 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (17 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Bruneau River inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Bruneau River inflow (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Bruneau River inflow (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Sharp break (17 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (77 ft) |
Spring rainbow trout on C.J. Strike Reservoir hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Bruneau River inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 8 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bruneau River inflow (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Bruneau River inflow (8 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (23 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (17 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The chart marks 14 structure features on C.J. Strike Reservoir; the deepest is Deep basin at about 77 ft.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10 | Rainbow Trout | — | — |
| Mar 9 | Rainbow Trout | — | — |
| Oct 14, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | — | — |
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 C.J. Strike Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Idaho fishing regulations →
C.J. Strike Reservoir is about 90 ft (27 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 smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, rainbow trout on C.J. Strike Reservoir.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth bass, 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, C.J. Strike Reservoir was most recently stocked Mar 10 with rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on C.J. Strike 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.
Mountain Home Reservoir 19 mi · Anderson Ranch Reservoir 42 mi · Lucky Peak Lake 43 mi · Arrowrock Reservoir 45 mi · Little Blue Creek Reservoir 47 mi · Succor Creek Reservoir 57 mi · Lake Lowell 58 mi · Cedar Creek Reservoir 72 mi · Magic Reservoir 78 mi · Dry Creek Reservoir 81 mi, NV · Toxaway Lake 83 mi · Perkins Lake 85 mi
See how C.J. Strike Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Idaho · best smallmouth bass lakes in Idaho · best crappie lakes in Idaho · best channel catfish 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.