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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
139-acre lake near Larimer County. The lake tops out around 43 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Technical Service Center bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Traced from the shoreline, Estes Lake runs 134 acres with 3.1 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.9) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 49% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 1.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.3 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Larimer County. For a second option, Marys Lake lies 3 mi southwest.
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Back-bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts muskellunge in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 15 ft, rated prime for fall muskellunge. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (7 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 13 to 43 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 15 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) 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 | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
When the water first warms, cutthroat trout slide up into 3 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 15 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 15 ft, rated good for winter rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Estes Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 43 ft down.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 4 | Catchable trout | — | — |
Source: Colorado Parks & Wildlife stocking report, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Colorado waters are set by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Estes Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Colorado fishing regulations →
Estes Lake is about 43 ft (13 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Technical Service Center bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target yellow perch, muskellunge, brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout on Estes Lake.
Back-bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For yellow perch, 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.
Yes — per Colorado Parks & Wildlife stocking report records, Estes Lake was most recently stocked Sep 4 with catchable trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Estes Lake is regulated by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Colorado regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Marys Lake 3 mi · Button Rock Res 13 mi · Carter Lake 15 mi · Lon Hagler Reservoir 18 mi · Grand Lake 19 mi · Shadow Mountain Reservoir 21 mi · Horsetooth Reservoir 22 mi · Monarch Lake 23 mi · Granby Reservoir 23 mi · Boyd Lake 25 mi · Boulder City Reservoir 25 mi · Meadow Creek Reservoir 26 mi
See how Estes Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Colorado · best yellow perch lakes in Colorado · best brown trout lakes in Colorado · best cutthroat trout lakes in Colorado
More water nearby: Larimer County fishing maps (6 charts). Browse all Colorado 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.