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27-acre reservoir near Jackson Region. The lake tops out around 60 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Cottonwood Lake draws 26 acres inside 1 miles of shoreline. At index 1.4 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Roughly 20% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.4 mi. The water lies in Lincoln County. The nearest mapped water is Corral Creek Lake 2, 4 mi to the northeast.
Come spring, look for cutthroat trout tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 27 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (27 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
In spring, brook trout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 3 to 20 ft for winter. Summer brook trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 27 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (27 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The chart marks 5 structure features on Cottonwood Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 51 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wyoming waters are set by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department — and special regulations can apply to Cottonwood Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wyoming fishing regulations →
Cottonwood Lake is about 60 ft (18 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, brook trout on Cottonwood Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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.
Fishing on Cottonwood Lake is regulated by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Check the official Wyoming regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Corral Creek Lake 2 4 mi · Crow Creek Lake 1 7 mi · Barstow Lake 11 mi · Alice Lake 16 mi · Murphy Lake, Lower 29 mi · Stump Lake 29 mi · Palisades Reservoir 44 mi, ID/WY · Viva Naughton Reservoir 45 mi · Bear Lake 52 mi, UT/ID · Oneida Narrows Reservoir 52 mi, ID · Soda Lake 54 mi · Willow Lake 54 mi
See how Cottonwood Lake stacks up: best brook trout lakes in Wyoming · best cutthroat trout lakes in Wyoming
More water nearby: Lincoln County fishing maps (8 charts). Browse all Wyoming 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.