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Fishing Cooper Lake: what the data says
2,199-acre lake near Cooper Landing. a deep, cold mountain lake above Cooper Landing on the Kenai Peninsula, holding Dolly Varden and rainbow trout. The lake tops out around 476 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.
Arctic Char fishing at Cooper Lake
Spring arctic char on Cooper Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 20 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 40 ft. Creek inflow is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring arctic char. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Cooper Lake
Spring rainbow trout on Cooper Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Creek inflow, a inflow / creek mouth in about 8 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 | 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 | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 405 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 238 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 214 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 119 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 119 ft
- Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 8 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Cooper Lake?
Cooper Lake is about 476 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 Cooper Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, arctic char on Cooper Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Cooper Lake?
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Cooper Lake?
For arctic char, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Upper Russian Lake · Kenai Lake · Lower Russian Lake · Upper Trail Lake · Jean Lake · Hidden Lake
See how Cooper Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Alaska · best arctic char lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.