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113-acre lake near Sterling. A roadside Kenai NWR lake along the Sterling Highway stocked with rainbow trout, also holding coho salmon. The lake tops out around 70 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
On the chart, Jean Lake draws 138 acres inside 2.6 miles of shoreline. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 14% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 1.1 mi, about 0.3 mi across. The water lies in Kenai Peninsula Borough. The nearest mapped water is Hidden Lake, 3 mi to the southwest.
Spring puts rainbow trout in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 40 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (44 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
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: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 59 ft range, prime 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 | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (59 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (59 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 59 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 Jean Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Jean Lake is about 70 ft (21 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 rainbow trout, coho salmon on Jean Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 59 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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.
Fishing on Jean 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 3 mi · Engineer Lake 5 mi · Kelly Lake 7 mi · Skilak Lake 7 mi · Lower Russian Lake 8 mi · Egumen Lake 9 mi · Watson Lake 10 mi · Upper Russian Lake 15 mi · Kenai River (Middle) 15 mi · Cooper Lake 16 mi · Swan Lake 17 mi · Kenai Lake 21 mi
See how Jean Lake stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Alaska · best coho salmon 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.