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131-acre Halibut Cove Lagoon fishing map with NOAA H12084/H09884 survey contours in native MLLW (97.16% measured), stocked-Chinook timing, measured fishing spots, public-dock access and high-tide entrance guidance. The water tops out around 223 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Drawn out, this is 130 acres of water rimmed by 2.7 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.7) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 1% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 1.2 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Tustumena Lake, 43 mi to the north.
In spring, chinook salmon run shallow here, mostly 5 to 40 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 50 to 120 ft, and winter fish settle into 30 to 90 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 92 ft, rated good for summer chinook salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (92 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: coho salmon in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 30 to 70 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 65 ft range, good in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Come spring, look for pink salmon tight to the bank in 8 to 60 ft. They move out to 3 to 70 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 90 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Surveyed channel edge: a drop-off around 65 ft that scores good in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A pink or orange casting spoon or a small hoochie is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Small chrome spoon, Compact herring-pattern jig |
| Summer | 3 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Pink or orange casting spoon, Small hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small bright spoon, Pink jig |
| Winter | 20 to 90 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Small vertical jig |
Spring puts chum salmon in skinny water — 10 to 70 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 70 ft, and winter fish hold in 25 to 100 ft. Surveyed channel edge is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 65 ft, rated good for spring chum salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 25 to 100 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (92 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Spring puts sockeye salmon in skinny water — 5 to 70 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 80 ft, wintering in 25 to 110 ft. Spring sockeye salmon concentrate at Surveyed channel edge, a good-rated drop-off around 65 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small red or pink fly behind a flasher or a compact squid or hoochie covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Small red or pink hoochie, Compact plankton-profile fly |
| Summer | 3 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (65 ft) | Small red or pink fly behind a flasher, Compact squid or hoochie |
| Fall | 2 to 55 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small bright fly, Compact spinner where legal |
| Winter | 25 to 110 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (92 ft) |
Spring pacific halibut on Halibut Cove Lagoon hold shallow, usually 35 to 160 ft. By summer they slide out to 20 to 180 ft, and by winter most fish are in 56 to 223 ft. The chart's best answer is Surveyed channel edge — drop-off, 92 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in midday and early morning. The summer box starts with a heavy vertical jig or a large swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 35 to 160 ft | dawn | Surveyed channel edge (92 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub on lead head |
| Summer | 20 to 180 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (92 ft) | Heavy vertical jig, Large swimbait |
| Fall | 35 to 220 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (92 ft) | Heavy glow jig, Large grub |
| Winter | 56 to 223 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (92 ft) | Heavy slow-pitch jig |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — NOAA charted underwater rock, around 156 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. 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 (Southcentral sport fishing) — and special regulations can apply to Halibut Cove Lagoon specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Halibut Cove Lagoon is about 223 ft (68 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target chinook salmon, coho salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon, pacific halibut on Halibut Cove Lagoon.
Surveyed channel edge is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 92 ft of water that rates prime for pacific halibut in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For chinook 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 Halibut Cove Lagoon is regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Southcentral sport fishing). Check the official Alaska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Tustumena Lake 43 mi · Kasilof River 50 mi · Kenai River (Middle) 65 mi · Skilak Lake 67 mi · Engineer Lake 70 mi · Upper Russian Lake 70 mi · Hidden Lake 71 mi · Egumen Lake 71 mi · Kelly Lake 71 mi · Watson Lake 71 mi · Lower Russian Lake 73 mi · Jean Lake 74 mi
See how Halibut Cove Lagoon stacks up: best chinook salmon lakes in Alaska · best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best pink salmon lakes in Alaska · best chum salmon lakes in Alaska
Browse all Alaska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA NCEI hydrographic surveys (MLLW; 97% measured, 0% source-interpolated). 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.