Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
3,385-acre lake near Tonsina. A deep lake in the Copper River drainage at the head of the Tonsina River, with Dolly Varden, grayling, burbot, lake trout and salmon. The lake tops out around 295 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Tonsina Lake draws 3,437 acres inside 15.4 miles of shoreline. Index 1.9 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 1% of this chart, as modeled. Tip to tip the water measures near 6.1 mi with a 1.9-mi widest point. The water lies in Copper River Borough. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Klutina Lake, 18 mi northwest of here.
Come spring, look for arctic char tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 20 to 60 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 40 ft. Start at Tonsina River inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (251 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (251 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: arctic grayling in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 15 ft before dropping to 8 to 25 ft for winter. The spot to know is Tonsina River inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for arctic grayling in spring. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a dry fly (parachute adams, elk hair caddis) or a small inline spinner gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dusk | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | 1/16 oz spinner (silver), Small dry fly (Adams, Griffith's) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | Dry fly (parachute Adams, elk hair caddis), Small inline spinner |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | Small spoon, Beadhead nymph under indicator |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + waxworm, Small jigging spoon (gold) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: burbot in 25 to 70 ft. As the season builds they drop to 50 to 120 ft, wintering in 15 to 60 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 251 ft range, good in spring. Time it for after dark and midday. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (251 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (251 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (251 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (251 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake trout in 10 to 40 ft. As the season builds they drop to 50 to 120 ft, wintering in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 133 ft range, good in summer. Time it for early morning. 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 | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Break off the point (133 ft) | 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 | Deep basin (251 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Start shallow in spring: chinook salmon sit in 5 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 50 to 120 ft, and winter fish settle into 30 to 90 ft. The spot to know is Tonsina River inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (133 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Deep basin (251 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Spring puts coho salmon in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 30 to 70 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Spring coho salmon concentrate at Tonsina River inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (251 ft) | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Tonsina River inflow (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (251 ft) | Small spoon, slow troll |
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 251 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Tonsina Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alaska fishing regulations →
Tonsina Lake is about 295 ft (90 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 arctic char, arctic grayling, burbot, lake trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon on Tonsina Lake.
Tonsina River inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for arctic grayling in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For arctic char, 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 Tonsina 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.
Klutina Lake 18 mi · Thompson Lake 25 mi · Blueberry Lake 25 mi · Crosswind Lake 62 mi · Paxson Lake 100 mi · Slipper (Eska) Lake 113 mi · Summit Lake 113 mi · Eklutna Lake 117 mi · Tangle Pond 122 mi · Airstrip Pond 123 mi · Alder Pond 123 mi · Anderson Lake 126 mi
See how Tonsina Lake stacks up: best chinook salmon lakes in Alaska · best coho salmon lakes in Alaska · best lake trout 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.