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Fishing Deadwood Reservoir: what the data says
2,996-acre reservoir near Valley. The lake tops out around 38 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Cutthroat Trout fishing at Deadwood Reservoir
In spring, cutthroat trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 38 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 17 ft, rated prime for summer cutthroat trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 38 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Deadwood Reservoir
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 38 ft. The spot to know is Old creek channel, a creek channel in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in summer. 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 38 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Kokanee fishing at Deadwood Reservoir
In spring, kokanee run shallow here, mostly 10 to 30 ft. By summer they slide out to 11 to 38 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 38 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in summer. Best bite is early morning. A dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 11 to 38 ft | dawn | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 38 ft | dawn | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 10 to 38 ft | dawn | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Chinook Salmon fishing at Deadwood Reservoir
Spring chinook salmon on Deadwood Reservoir hold shallow, usually 5 to 38 ft. Summer fish stay in 11 to 38 ft, and winter fish hold in 11 to 38 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 38 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 11 to 38 ft | dawn & dusk | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 8 to 38 ft | dawn & dusk | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft | midday | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Coho Salmon fishing at Deadwood Reservoir
Start shallow in spring: coho salmon sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 11 to 38 ft, and by winter most fish are in 11 to 38 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 11 to 38 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 38 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 11 to 38 ft | midday | Small spoon, slow troll |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 32 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 19 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 17 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 12.648648073224042 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 10 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 10 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 3.164856999210082 ft
- Weed flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Deadwood Reservoir?
Deadwood Reservoir is about 38 ft (12 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.
What fish are in Deadwood Reservoir?
Anglers target rainbow trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, kokanee, cutthroat trout on Deadwood Reservoir.
Where is the best fishing spot on Deadwood Reservoir?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Deadwood Reservoir?
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.
Nearby waters
Bull Trout Lake · Sage Hen Reservoir · Cascade Reservoir · Cape Horn Lake #1 · Payette Lake · Arrowrock Reservoir
See how Deadwood Reservoir stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Idaho · best chinook salmon lakes in Idaho · best coho salmon lakes in Idaho · best kokanee lakes in Idaho
Browse all Idaho fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.