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Fishing Eklutna Lake: what the data says
3,400-acre lake near Anchorage. a long glacier-fed lake in Chugach State Park east of Anchorage, holding native Dolly Varden and landlocked kokanee alongside stocked rainbow trout. The lake tops out around 189 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Eklutna Lake
Spring rainbow trout on Eklutna Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 39 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| 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) |
Arctic Char fishing at Eklutna Lake
Spring arctic char on Eklutna Lake hold shallow, usually 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. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 39 ft, rated prime for summer arctic char. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Kokanee fishing at Eklutna Lake
Start shallow in spring: kokanee sit in 10 to 30 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 30 to 70 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. The spot to know is Yuditna Creek inflow, a inflow / creek mouth in about 38 ft of water that rates prime for kokanee in fall. Plan around early morning in the warm months. 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 | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 189 ft
- Deepest basin: deep basin, around 188 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 163 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 50 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 39 ft
- Yuditna Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 38 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 34 ft
- Bold Creek inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 33 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 28 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 22 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 20 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 13 ft
Common questions
How deep is Eklutna Lake?
Eklutna Lake is about 189 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Eklutna Lake?
Anglers target rainbow trout, kokanee, arctic char on Eklutna Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Eklutna Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 39 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Eklutna Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Edmonds Lake · Mirror Lake · Anderson Lake · Kings Lake · Wasilla Lake · Slipper (Eska) Lake
See how Eklutna Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Alaska · best arctic char lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.