Lake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for walleye.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
2,537-acre lake near Happy Hollow. The lake tops out around 85 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 2,531 acres of water rimmed by 12 miles of bank, with 2 islands in the mix. Index 1.7 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 34% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 4.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.7 mi at the beam. The water lies in Division No. 12. The nearest mapped water is Tucker Lake, 3 mi to the west.
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 25 to 70 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 26 to 85 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 85 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in summer. 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 | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (85 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 26 to 85 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (85 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (85 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 85 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (85 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + 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. Spring northern pike concentrate at Weed flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 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 | Weed flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Weed flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 18 ft, prime for fall. 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 | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Crane Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Weed flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. 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 | Weed flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Crane Lake carries 9 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 85 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 Crane Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alberta fishing regulations →
Crane Lake is about 85 ft (26 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, cisco (lake herring), northern pike, walleye, yellow perch on Crane Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 85 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 Crane 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.
Tucker Lake 3 mi · Hilda Lake 4 mi · Ethel Lake 7 mi · Marie Lake 12 mi · May Lake 15 mi · Manatokan Lake 17 mi · Charlotte Lake 18 mi · Cold Lake 20 mi, AB/SK · Jessie Lake 20 mi · Burnt Lake 21 mi · Wolf Lake 21 mi · Angling Lake 23 mi
See how Crane 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
More water nearby: Division No. 12 fishing maps (45 charts). 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.