Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
130-acre lake near Leicestershire. The lake tops out around 27 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Cropston Reservoir runs 130 acres with 2.6 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. About 72% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 1 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Leicestershire. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Groby Pool, 2 mi southwest of here.
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 27 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 27 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 12 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) 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 | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: european perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 27 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 27 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season common bream use the shallows, holding in 3 to 14 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 27 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 23 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
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 14 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 18 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) |
Spring roach on Cropston Reservoir hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 4 to 18 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 27 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a tiny spoon or a micro jig.
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 10 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig under a float |
| Summer | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tiny spoon, Micro jig |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 28 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Tiny jig, Small silver spoon |
| Winter | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten mormyshka |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 27 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 27 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon 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 | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 7 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 5 to 27 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Cropston Reservoir; the deepest is Deep basin at about 23 ft.
Cropston Reservoir is about 27 ft (8 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike, common bream, roach, rainbow trout on Cropston Reservoir. 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.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. 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.
Groby Pool 2 mi · Attenborough NR 14 mi · Stanford Reservoir 19 mi · Eyebrook Reservoir 21 mi · Rutland Water 23 mi · Hollowell Reservoir 25 mi · Draycote Water 26 mi · Chasewater 32 mi · Thrapston Lake 34 mi · Tallington Lakes 35 mi · Great Lake or Welbeck 39 mi · Belvide Reservoir 42 mi
See how Cropston Reservoir stacks up: best northern pike lakes in United Kingdom · best european perch lakes in United Kingdom · best brown trout lakes in United Kingdom
Browse all United Kingdom fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. 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.