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Rating depth structure for white perch.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
500-acre lake near Hebron. The lake tops out around 23 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn outline gives you 6.9 miles of bank to pick apart, broken up by an island. A development index of 2.7 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 85% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.4 mi with a 1.2-mi widest point. You'll find it in Yarmouth County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Vaughan, 10 mi southeast of here.
Start shallow in spring: white perch sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 23 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 23 ft. The spot to know is Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for white perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 23 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Spring yellow perch on Darling Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 7 to 23 ft in summer and finish the year down in 7 to 23 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. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
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, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 23 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown bullhead in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 12 ft before dropping to 7 to 23 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in winter. Plan around after dark and the evening in 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 | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (12 ft) | |
| Winter | 7 to 23 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 23 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm 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 | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (4 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 7 to 23 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Creek inflow (4 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (4 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
10 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 20 ft, is the deepest of them.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2025 | Brook Trout | 250 | ~11.8" |
| May 7, 2024 | Brook Trout | 350 | ~10" |
| May 2, 2023 | Brook Trout | 250 | ~9.8" |
| Apr 21, 2022 | Brook Trout | 300 | ~9.8" |
| Apr 21, 2021 | Brook Trout | 350 | ~9.4" |
| May 4, 2020 | Brook Trout | 560 | ~9.8" |
| May 6, 2019 | Brook Trout | 350 | ~11" |
Source: Nova Scotia hatchery stocking records, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Nova Scotia waters are set by the Nova Scotia sportfishing rules — and special regulations can apply to Darling Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nova Scotia fishing regulations →
Darling Lake is about 23 ft (7 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 white perch, yellow perch, brown bullhead, brook trout on Darling Lake.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for white perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For white perch, 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.
Yes — per Nova Scotia hatchery stocking records records, Darling Lake was most recently stocked May 13, 2025 with 250 brook trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Darling Lake is regulated by the Nova Scotia sportfishing rules. Check the official Nova Scotia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Vaughan 10 mi · Raynards Lake 10 mi · Fanning Lake 11 mi · Wentworth Lake 19 mi · Belliveau Lake 26 mi · Deception Lake 37 mi · Lake George 43 mi · Grand Lake 57 mi · Bradford Cove Pond 59 mi, NB · Dwellys Pond 62 mi, NB · Flagg Cove 63 mi, NB · Wilson Pond 65 mi, NB
See how Darling Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Nova Scotia · best brook trout lakes in Nova Scotia · best white perch lakes in Nova Scotia · best brown bullhead lakes in Nova Scotia
Browse all Nova Scotia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Shoreline: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). This is a shoreline guide. Modeled depth contours have been retired. 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.