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Rating depth structure for bluegill.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
205-acre lake in Rutland County, Vermont. The lake tops out around 120 ft. The depth chart comes from Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 203 acres of water rimmed by 2.7 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. 12% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 0.9 mi long by 0.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Rutland County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Sunrise Lake, 1 mi northeast of here.
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | open water | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | open water | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | open water | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | open water | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | open water | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | open water | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Sunset Lake also holds yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Sunset Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 120 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Vermont waters are set by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Sunset Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Vermont fishing regulations →
Sunset Lake is about 120 ft (37 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target bluegill, brown bullhead, lake trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch on Sunset Lake.
For bluegill, 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 Sunset Lake is regulated by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife. Check the official Vermont regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Sunrise Lake 1 mi · Lake Hortonia 3 mi · Burr Pond 4 mi · Echo Lake 5 mi · Beebe Pond 5 mi · Lake Champlain - South Lake 6 mi, NY/VT · Glen Lake 6 mi · Lake Bomoseen 8 mi · Otter Creek 10 mi · Fern Lake 13 mi · Jabe Pond 14 mi, NY · Lake Dunmore 14 mi
See how Sunset Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Vermont · best smallmouth bass lakes in Vermont · best bluegill lakes in Vermont · best rainbow trout lakes in Vermont
More water nearby: Rutland County fishing maps (13 charts). Browse all Vermont fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation BioBase Lake Bathymetry (pool elevation at time of collection; 0% measured, 100% source-interpolated). 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.