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Rating depth structure for northern pike.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
143,329-acre lake in Switzerland / France. The lake tops out around 1016 ft. The depth chart comes from Federal Office of Topography swisstopo (swissBATHY3D) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Lake Geneva maps at 142,856 acres behind 145.2 miles of shoreline, with 36 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 2.7, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 6% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 39.9 mi end to end and 14.8 mi across at its widest. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lac de Joux, is 23 mi to the northwest.
When the water first warms, european perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 28 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Feeding flat: a feeding flat around 10 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (10 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Feeding flat (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep break (43 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (33 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Spring northern pike on Lake Geneva hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Feeding flat — feeding flat, 10 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (11 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Feeding flat (10 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 40 to 90 ft; cold water stacks them in 25 to 70 ft. Offshore hump is the standout, an offshore hump at roughly 68 ft, rated prime for summer lake whitefish. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Deep break (43 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (68 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Shoreline point (11 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (68 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 25 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Deep break, a drop-off in about 43 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Deep break (43 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Deep break (43 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring puts arctic char in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 20 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 40 ft. Deep break is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 43 ft, rated prime for summer arctic char. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (10 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep break (43 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 break (43 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring puts european grayling in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 25 ft. Feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for summer european grayling. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A dry fly (caddis, terrestrial) or a nymph under an indicator covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Feeding flat (10 ft) | Small dry fly (midge, olive), Inline spinner #0-1 |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Feeding flat (10 ft) | Dry fly (caddis, terrestrial), Nymph under an indicator |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | open water | Weighted nymph, Small spoon (copper) |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (10 ft) | Tiny jig + maggot, Small mormyshka |
Lake Geneva also holds burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 25 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 1016 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Switzerland waters are set by the Federal Office for the Environment (federal framework; licences and rules are cantonal) — and special regulations can apply to Lake Geneva specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Switzerland fishing regulations →
Lake Geneva is about 1016 ft (310 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Federal Office of Topography swisstopo (swissBATHY3D) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target european perch, northern pike, lake whitefish, brown trout, arctic char, european grayling, burbot, common carp on Lake Geneva.
Deep break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 43 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For european 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.
Fishing on Lake Geneva is regulated by the Federal Office for the Environment (federal framework; licences and rules are cantonal). Check the official Switzerland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lac de Joux 23 mi, CHE · Lake Neuchâtel 40 mi, CHE · Lake Morat 47 mi, CHE · Lake Biel 58 mi, CHE · Lake Thun 61 mi, CHE · Lake Brienz 72 mi, CHE · Lake Lungern 83 mi, CHE · Lake Sarnen 87 mi, CHE · Lake Sempach 94 mi, CHE · Rotsee 97 mi, CHE · Lake Baldegg 100 mi, CHE · Lake Lucerne 100 mi, CHE
Browse all Switzerland fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: Federal Office of Topography swisstopo, swissBATHY3D (Open Government 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.