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1,596-acre lake near Sterling. A popular Kenai NWR lake off Skilak Lake Road, one of the few road-accessible Kenai lakes with lake trout, plus rainbows, Dolly Varden and salmon. The lake tops out around 148 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Hidden Lake draws 1,668 acres inside 14.3 miles of shoreline, with 4 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 2.5, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 1% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 4.6 mi end to end and 1.5 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Kenai Peninsula Borough. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Engineer Lake, 2 mi west of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 123 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (123 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (60 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
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 40 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (60 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Come spring, look for arctic char tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 20 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 60 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (16 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (60 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (123 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring puts coho salmon in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 30 to 70 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 60 ft, rated prime for summer coho salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (60 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (19 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Break off the point (60 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 123 ft.
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 Hidden Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Hidden Lake is about 148 ft (45 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target lake trout, rainbow trout, arctic char, coho salmon on Hidden Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 123 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, 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.
Fishing on Hidden 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.
Engineer Lake 2 mi · Jean Lake 3 mi · Skilak Lake 4 mi · Kelly Lake 5 mi · Egumen Lake 6 mi · Watson Lake 8 mi · Lower Russian Lake 10 mi · Kenai River (Middle) 12 mi · Swan Lake 16 mi · Upper Russian Lake 16 mi · Cooper Lake 18 mi · Silver Lake 21 mi
See how Hidden Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Alaska · best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best lake trout lakes in Alaska · best arctic char lakes in Alaska
More water nearby: Kenai Peninsula Borough fishing maps (23 charts). Browse all Alaska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.