Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Crosswind Lake
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Crosswind Lake: what the data says
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. 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.
Lake Trout fishing at Crosswind Lake
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 109 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Burbot fishing at Crosswind Lake
In spring, burbot run shallow here, mostly 25 to 70 ft. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 109 ft that scores prime in summer. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. A heavy jig + cut bait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Crosswind Lake
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 21.27169987728196 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| 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 109 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 58 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 32 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 32 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 21.291716292219718 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 21.27169987728196 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 14.737368195175282 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 5.32043385378886 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 4.991029611149367 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 3.9097006257015177 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 3.779681424803751 ft
Common questions
How deep is Crosswind Lake?
Crosswind Lake is about 128 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 Crosswind Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, lake trout, burbot on Crosswind Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot 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. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Crosswind Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Klutina Lake · Paxson Lake · Summit Lake · Tonsina Lake · Blueberry Lake · Thompson Lake
See how Crosswind Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Alaska · best lake trout lakes in Alaska · best burbot lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.