Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,315-acre reservoir near Grand County. The lake tops out around 24 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 1,280 acres of water rimmed by 11.6 miles of bank — 8 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 81% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 3.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 1 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Grand County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Grand Lake, 2 mi northeast of here.
Spring brown trout on Shadow Mountain Reservoir hold shallow, usually 3 to 24 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 7 to 24 ft in summer, 3 to 24 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 11 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 4 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 3 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring cutthroat trout on Shadow Mountain Reservoir hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 24 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 24 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 11 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 6 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 24 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 24 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 6 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 5 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: kokanee in 7 to 24 ft. The depth story barely changes: 7 to 24 ft through summer, 6 to 24 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 20 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 3 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 6 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 6 to 24 ft. The depth story barely changes: 7 to 24 ft through summer, 6 to 24 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 20 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 5 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 6 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 20 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 Colorado waters are set by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Shadow Mountain Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Colorado fishing regulations →
Shadow Mountain Reservoir is about 24 ft (7 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 brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, kokanee, lake trout on Shadow Mountain Reservoir.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and 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 Shadow Mountain Reservoir is regulated by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Colorado regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Grand Lake 2 mi · Granby Reservoir 5 mi · Willow Creek Reservoir 8 mi · Monarch Lake 10 mi · Meadow Creek Reservoir 13 mi · Marys Lake 18 mi · Diamond Lake Upper 19 mi · Estes Lake 21 mi · Bob Lake 21 mi · Woodland Lake 21 mi · Crater Lake #1, Upper 24 mi · Button Rock Res 24 mi
See how Shadow Mountain Reservoir stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Colorado · best lake trout lakes in Colorado · best brown trout lakes in Colorado · best kokanee lakes in Colorado
More water nearby: Grand County fishing maps (6 charts). Browse all Colorado fishing maps. 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.