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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
153-acre lake near Sterling. A small Kenai NWR lake holding coho salmon and rainbow trout. The lake tops out around 34 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency 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.
Silver Lake maps at 135 acres behind 2.5 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. 34% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.6 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. Kenai Peninsula Borough claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Swan Lake, is 9 mi to the east.
Spring coho salmon on Silver Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 34 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 34 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 30 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline.
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 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 7 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter a 7 to 34 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
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 | Break off the point (15 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 34 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Silver Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 30 ft down.
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 Silver Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Silver Lake is about 34 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target coho salmon, rainbow trout on Silver Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For coho salmon, 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 Silver 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.
Swan Lake 9 mi · Paddle Lake 13 mi · Watson Lake 13 mi · Kenai River (Middle) 14 mi · Egumen Lake 15 mi · Kelly Lake 17 mi · Pepper Lake 18 mi · Engineer Lake 20 mi · Hidden Lake 21 mi · Skilak Lake 22 mi · Jean Lake 23 mi · Bird Lake 26 mi
See how Silver 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. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey 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.