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4,077-acre lake near Port Alsworth. A turquoise lake in Lake Clark National Park west of Cook Inlet, known for rainbow trout, grayling, Dolly Varden and a famous bear-viewing sockeye run. The lake tops out around 100 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.
Traced from the shoreline, Crescent Lake runs 4,007 acres with 20.7 miles of edge — one island included. An index of 2.3 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. 9% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 7.6 mi, about 2 mi across. The water lies in Kenai Peninsula Borough. The nearest mapped water is Kasilof River, 58 mi to the east.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (9 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: arctic grayling sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Rock reef, a rock pile in the 10 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | 1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (10 ft) | Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Rock reef (10 ft) | Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold) |
When the water first warms, arctic char slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 10 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (9 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (45 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 30 to 100 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 85 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (25 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 30 to 100 ft | dawn | Deep basin (85 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (10 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (85 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
In spring, coho salmon run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 30 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 60 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 45 ft, rated prime for summer coho salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (25 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (45 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (25 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Break off the point (45 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Count 11 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 85 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Alaska waters are set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game — and special regulations can apply to Crescent Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Crescent Lake is about 100 ft (30 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 rainbow trout, arctic grayling, arctic char, lake trout, coho salmon on Crescent Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 85 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on Crescent Lake is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Check the official Alaska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Kasilof River 58 mi · Tustumena Lake 71 mi · Silver Lake 75 mi · Kenai River (Middle) 79 mi · Upper Lilly Lake 81 mi · Swan Lake 83 mi · Watson Lake 84 mi · Egumen Lake 85 mi · Paddle Lake 86 mi · Kelly Lake 87 mi · Iliamna Lake 88 mi · Skilak Lake 89 mi
See how Crescent Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Alaska · best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best lake trout lakes in Alaska · best arctic grayling lakes in Alaska
More water nearby: Kenai Peninsula Borough fishing maps (23 charts). Browse all Alaska 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.