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3,880-acre lake near Paxson. A big Richardson Highway lake famous for lake trout, Arctic grayling and burbot, with a June king-salmon run up the Gulkana. The lake tops out around 89 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Paxson Lake maps at 3,870 acres behind 24.2 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 17% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 9.7 mi with a 2.2-mi widest point. It sits in Copper River Borough. Summit Lake sits 14 mi north — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, lake trout slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 27 to 89 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 76 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (22 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 27 to 89 ft | dawn | Deep basin (76 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (76 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Early season arctic grayling use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 25 ft. Put Gulkana River inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Gulkana River inflow (8 ft) | 1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Gulkana River inflow (8 ft) | Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Rock reef (7 ft) | Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold) |
When the water first warms, burbot slide up into 25 to 70 ft. By summer they slide out to 27 to 89 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 76 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and midday. Keep a heavy jig + cut bait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (76 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 27 to 89 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (76 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (76 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Start shallow in spring: lake whitefish sit in 15 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 27 to 89 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 76 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (40 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 27 to 89 ft | dawn | Deep basin (76 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (7 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (76 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Come spring, look for chinook salmon tight to the bank in 5 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 27 to 89 ft, then a winter hold in 27 to 89 ft. Start at Gulkana River inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Gulkana River inflow (8 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 27 to 89 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (76 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Gulkana River inflow (8 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 27 to 89 ft | midday | Deep basin (76 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
15 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 76 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game — Launch Ramps. 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 Paxson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Paxson Lake is about 89 ft (27 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target lake trout, arctic grayling, burbot, lake whitefish, chinook salmon on Paxson Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 76 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Paxson 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.
Summit Lake 14 mi · Crosswind Lake 42 mi · Klutina Lake 87 mi · Tonsina Lake 100 mi · Stephan Lake 106 mi · Thompson Lake 124 mi · Blueberry Lake 124 mi · Slipper (Eska) Lake 136 mi · Byers Lake 144 mi · Anderson Lake 151 mi · Kings Lake 152 mi · Memory Lake 153 mi
See how Paxson Lake stacks up: best chinook salmon lakes in Alaska · best lake trout lakes in Alaska · best lake whitefish lakes in Alaska · best burbot lakes in Alaska
More water nearby: Copper River Borough fishing maps (5 charts). Browse all Alaska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.