Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for walleye.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
22,200-acre lake near Rochon Sands. The lake tops out around 20 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.
On the chart, Buffalo Lake draws 22,146 acres inside 68.5 miles of shoreline, broken up by 7 islands. With a shoreline index of 3.3, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 81% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 11.8 mi end to end and 7.4 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Division No. 7. For a second option, Red Deer Lake lies 17 mi north.
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 6 to 20 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 6 to 20 ft covers summer, 5 to 20 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and midday. Throw a heavy jig + cut bait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Fall northern pike concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 15 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Feeding flat (9 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 6 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 20 ft one. The chart's best answer is Gravel shoal — gravel shoal, 4 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Gravel shoal (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Buffalo Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 20 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 20 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (9 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Count 17 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 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 Alberta waters are set by the Alberta fishing regulations — and special regulations can apply to Buffalo Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alberta fishing regulations →
Buffalo Lake is about 20 ft (6 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 burbot, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch on Buffalo Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For burbot, the summer bite is best in after dark and midday. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Buffalo Lake is regulated by the Alberta fishing regulations. Check the official Alberta regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Red Deer Lake 17 mi · Little Beaver Lake 20 mi · Magee Lake 20 mi · Samson Lake 23 mi · Chain Lakes 23 mi · Pine Lake 35 mi · Coal Lake 43 mi · Gull Lake 46 mi · Sylvan Lake 53 mi · Miquelon Lakes 54 mi · Joseph Lake 56 mi · Oliver Lake 56 mi
See how Buffalo Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Alberta · best northern pike lakes in Alberta · best yellow perch lakes in Alberta · best burbot lakes in Alberta
Browse all Alberta fishing maps or 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.