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9,440-acre lake near Gulkana. A remote Copper River basin lake managed by ADF&G for lake trout alongside Paxson and Louise, with burbot and rainbow trout. The lake tops out around 128 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 9,063 acres of water rimmed by 25.9 miles of bank. Index 1.9 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 10% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 7.8 mi end to end and 3.1 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Copper River Borough. The nearest mapped water is Paxson Lake, 42 mi to the north.
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 50 to 120 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 109 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 (32 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (109 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (58 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 25 to 70 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 50 to 120 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 109 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and midday. Throw a heavy jig + cut bait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (58 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (109 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (58 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
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 21 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 (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (32 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Crosswind Lake carries 13 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 109 ft down.
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 Crosswind Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Crosswind Lake is about 128 ft (39 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 lake trout, burbot, rainbow trout on Crosswind Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 109 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For lake trout, 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.
Fishing on Crosswind 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.
Paxson Lake 42 mi · Klutina Lake 47 mi · Summit Lake 55 mi · Tonsina Lake 62 mi · Blueberry Lake 85 mi · Thompson Lake 85 mi · Stephan Lake 95 mi · Slipper (Eska) Lake 103 mi · Anderson Lake 119 mi · Kings Lake 119 mi · Eklutna Lake 120 mi · Wasilla Lake 121 mi
See how Crosswind Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Alaska · best lake trout lakes in Alaska · best burbot lakes in Alaska
More water nearby: Copper River Borough fishing maps (5 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.