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Rating depth structure for coho salmon.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
225-acre lake near Sterling. A quiet Kenai NWR lake off Skilak Lake Road with coho salmon and Dolly Varden char. The lake tops out around 17 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 232 acres wrapped in 2.7 miles of bank. Nearly circular (index 1.3), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The basin spans about 1 mi end to end and 0.7 mi across at its widest. It sits in Kenai Peninsula Borough. Hidden Lake sits 2 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, coho salmon slide up into 2 to 17 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 5 to 17 ft, winter 5 to 17 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 13 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 3 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: arctic char in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 17 ft, wintering in 4 to 17 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 13 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 4 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Engineer Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 13 ft down.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Engineer Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Engineer Lake is about 17 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target coho salmon, arctic char on Engineer Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For coho salmon, 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 Engineer 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.
Hidden Lake 2 mi · Kelly Lake 3 mi · Skilak Lake 3 mi · Egumen Lake 5 mi · Jean Lake 5 mi · Watson Lake 6 mi · Kenai River (Middle) 10 mi · Lower Russian Lake 12 mi · Swan Lake 15 mi · Upper Russian Lake 18 mi · Cooper Lake 20 mi · Silver Lake 20 mi
See how Engineer Lake stacks up: best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best arctic char lakes in Alaska
More water nearby: Kenai Peninsula Borough fishing maps (23 charts). Browse all Alaska fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.