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89-acre lake near Shetland Islands. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1903, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Burga Water maps at 89 acres behind 2.5 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.9) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 70% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 0.8 mi, about 0.5 mi across. Shetland Islands claims this one. Upper Loch of Brouster sits 2 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 3 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 9 to 30 ft, wintering in 4 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 29 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
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 | Secondary point (4 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (4 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Come spring, look for european perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 28 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) is the honest summer answer here.
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 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Put Back-bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (4 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (4 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (2 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, arctic char run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 9 to 30 ft before dropping to 8 to 30 ft for winter. Summer arctic char concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 30 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) most summer days.
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 | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (29 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 8 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 30 ft.
Burga Water is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1903, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike, arctic char on Burga Water. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Upper Loch of Brouster 2 mi · Grass Water 3 mi · Clings Water 5 mi · Loch of Collaster 5 mi · Loch of North-house 6 mi · Loch of Clousta 6 mi · Lochs of Hostigates 6 mi · Loch of Vaara 6 mi · Loch of Aithsness 6 mi · Loch of Girlsta 12 mi · Loch of Tingwall 13 mi · Loch of Asta 14 mi
See how Burga Water stacks up: best northern pike lakes in United Kingdom · best european perch lakes in United Kingdom · best brown trout lakes in United Kingdom · best arctic char lakes in United Kingdom
More water nearby: Shetland Islands fishing maps (29 charts). Browse all United Kingdom 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.