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26-acre reservoir near Kīlauea. The lake tops out around 25 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The outline encloses 26 acres, worked by 1.3 miles of shoreline. With a 1.8 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Roughly 60% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 0.3 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. Kauai County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Waiakalua Reservoir, is 2 mi to the northeast.
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 25 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season peacock bass (tucunaré) use the shallows, holding in 2 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 22 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Tie on a topwater (walking bait) or a jerkbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Topwater prop bait, Jerkbait (fire tiger) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Topwater (walking bait), Jerkbait |
| Fall | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Swimbait |
| Winter | 6 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Slow jerkbait, Jig |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 21 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | open water | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, tilapia slide up into 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 11 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in midday and early morning. Keep a micro-jig near weed edges rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Tiny jig + bread-ball tip, Small worm under float |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Micro-jig near weed edges |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Small jig tipped with worm |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Slow micro-jig, warm outflows |
3 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 21 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Hawaii waters are set by the Hawaii DLNR — and special regulations can apply to Puu Ka Ele Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Hawaii fishing regulations →
Puu Ka Ele Reservoir is about 25 ft (8 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 largemouth bass, peacock bass (tucunaré), bluegill, tilapia on Puu Ka Ele Reservoir.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth bass, 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 Puu Ka Ele Reservoir is regulated by the Hawaii DLNR. Check the official Hawaii regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Waiakalua Reservoir 2 mi · Kalihiwai Reservoir 2 mi · Wailua Reservoir 8 mi · Kapaia Reservoir 12 mi · Halenanahu Reservoir 15 mi · Mauka Reservoir 17 mi · Alexander Reservoir 17 mi · Waita Reservoir 19 mi · Puʻu Lua Reservoir (Kōkeʻe) 19 mi · Aepo Reservoir 20 mi · Ipuolono Reservoir 20 mi · Aepoeha Reservoir 20 mi
See how Puu Ka Ele Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Hawaii · best peacock bass (tucunaré) lakes in Hawaii · best tilapia lakes in Hawaii · best bluegill lakes in Hawaii
More water nearby: Kauai County fishing maps (13 charts). Browse all Hawaii 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.