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88,098-acre lake near Cold Lake. The lake tops out around 325 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 87,549 acres, worked by 88.8 miles of shoreline — one island included. With a 2.1 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Roughly 4% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 17 mi long by 15.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Division No. 12. Hirtz Lake sits 10 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, lake trout slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Offshore hump: an offshore hump around 26 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Sharp break (72 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (26 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Spring walleye concentrate at Medley River inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 13 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Medley River inflow (13 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Creek inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Creek inflow (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (14 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (14 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Offshore hump, an offshore hump in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: lake whitefish sit in 15 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 90 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Offshore hump, an offshore hump in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Sharp break (72 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
When the water first warms, burbot slide up into 25 to 70 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Offshore hump: an offshore hump around 26 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and midday. Keep a heavy jig + cut bait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Sharp break (72 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (26 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Cold Lake carries 27 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 324 ft down.
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 Cold Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alberta fishing regulations →
Cold Lake is about 325 ft (99 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target lake trout, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, lake whitefish, burbot on Cold Lake.
Medley River inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Cold 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.
Hirtz Lake 10 mi, SK · Marie Lake 12 mi, AB · Ethel Lake 12 mi, AB · Hilda Lake 16 mi, AB · May Lake 19 mi, AB · Crane Lake 20 mi, AB · Tucker Lake 22 mi, AB · Burnt Lake 24 mi, AB · Angling Lake 26 mi, AB · Pebble Lake 28 mi, SK · Charlotte Lake 30 mi, AB · Reita Lake 31 mi, AB
See how Cold Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Alberta · best northern pike lakes in Alberta · best yellow perch lakes in Alberta · best lake trout lakes in Alberta
More water nearby: Division No. 12 fishing maps (45 charts). Browse all Alberta fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.