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Rating depth structure for walleye.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
3,922-acre lake near Oaklane Hutterite Colony. The lake tops out around 76 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 3,913 acres of water rimmed by 38.1 miles of bank, with a single island in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 16% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 14.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.4 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Division No. 2. The nearest mapped water is Keho Lake, 42 mi to the northwest.
Spring puts burbot in skinny water — 25 to 70 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 23 to 76 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 60 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 75 ft, rated prime for summer burbot. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. A heavy jig + cut bait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (75 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 23 to 76 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (75 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 23 to 76 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (75 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 23 to 76 ft game here, winter a 25 to 70 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 75 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 23 to 76 ft | dawn | Deep basin (75 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (75 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 15 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (15 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (15 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Start at Offshore hump. It's an offshore hump holding about 16 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (16 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (15 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (41 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Chin Lakes carries 15 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 75 ft down.
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 Chin Lakes specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alberta fishing regulations →
Chin Lakes is about 76 ft (23 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, lake whitefish, northern pike, walleye on Chin Lakes.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 75 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in summer. 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 Chin Lakes 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.
Keho Lake 42 mi · Outpost Lake 71 mi · Payne Lake 74 mi · Bassano Reservoir 80 mi · Lake Sherburne 84 mi, MT · Elkwater Lake 86 mi · Glenns Lake 88 mi, MT · Redrock Lake 89 mi, MT · Lee Lake 91 mi · Lake Frances 93 mi, MT · Lake Wurdeman 93 mi, MT · Forum Lake 94 mi, BC
See how Chin Lakes stacks up: best walleye lakes in Alberta · best northern pike lakes in Alberta · best lake whitefish 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.