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4,077-acre lake near Paxson. A large Richardson Highway lake at Isabel Pass near Paxson, at the head of the Gulkana, holding lake trout, burbot, grayling and whitefish. The lake tops out around 214 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 is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Summit Lake maps at 4,291 acres behind 31.9 miles of shoreline, with 7 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 13% of this chart, as modeled. Tip to tip the water measures near 6.8 mi with a 2.5-mi widest point. It sits in Copper River Borough. If the bite dies, Paxson Lake is 14 mi to the south.
Early season lake trout use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 50 to 120 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 80 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 9 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (9 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Break off the point (96 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (19 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Early season burbot use the shallows, holding in 25 to 70 ft. Expect a summer slide to 50 to 120 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 60 ft. Put Offshore hump first on the milk run — an offshore hump near 19 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and midday. Tie on a heavy jig + cut bait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (19 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Break off the point (96 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (19 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (19 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
When the water first warms, arctic grayling slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 9 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Rock reef (9 ft) | 1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Rock reef (9 ft) | Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold) |
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 40 to 90 ft, wintering in 25 to 70 ft. Fall lake whitefish concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 9 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. 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 | Offshore hump (19 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (96 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (9 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (19 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring chinook salmon on Summit Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 30 to 90 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 96 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (96 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (7 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Break off the point (96 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Structure-wise the chart holds 9 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 182 ft.
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 Summit Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Summit Lake is about 214 ft (65 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, burbot, arctic grayling, lake whitefish, chinook salmon on Summit Lake.
Offshore hump is the top-rated area: an offshore hump in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Summit 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.
Paxson Lake 14 mi · Crosswind Lake 55 mi · Klutina Lake 100 mi · Stephan Lake 110 mi · Tonsina Lake 113 mi · Thompson Lake 138 mi · Blueberry Lake 138 mi · Slipper (Eska) Lake 145 mi · Byers Lake 147 mi · Anderson Lake 160 mi · Kings Lake 160 mi · Memory Lake 162 mi
See how Summit 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.