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229-acre lake near Dumfries and Galloway. The lake tops out around 18 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 1906, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The drawn water covers 229 acres wrapped in 3.8 miles of bank. With a 1.8 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 85% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 1.2 mi end to end and 0.6 mi across at its widest. It sits in Dumfries and Galloway. Its nearest charted neighbour, Mochrum Loch, is 1 mi to the southeast.
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 18 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 18 ft, and they winter in 3 to 18 ft. Summer brown trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 8 ft. Fish it in after dark and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) 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 | 2 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 3 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 3 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring european perch on Castle Loch hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 5 to 18 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 18 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 18 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern).
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 | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Deep basin (18 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (18 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (18 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 5 to 18 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 18 ft.
Castle Loch is about 18 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1906, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike on Castle Loch. 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 18 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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.
Mochrum Loch 1 mi · Whitefield Loch 3 mi · Elrig Loch 4 mi · Loch Ronald 7 mi · White Loch of Myrton 8 mi · Cults Loch 11 mi · Soulseat Loch 12 mi · Black Loch 12 mi · White Loch 12 mi · Loch Magillie 12 mi · Loch Ochiltree or Loch of Fyntalloch 13 mi · Loch Maberry or Loch Mayberry 13 mi
See how Castle Loch stacks up: best northern pike lakes in United Kingdom · best european perch lakes in United Kingdom · best brown trout lakes in United Kingdom
More water nearby: Dumfries and Galloway fishing maps (55 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.