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157-acre lake near Shetland Islands. The lake tops out around 55 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1903, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The drawn water covers 156 acres wrapped in 2.8 miles of bank. With a 1.6 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Roughly 64% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 0.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.6 mi at the beam. Shetland Islands claims this one. If the bite dies, Punds Water is 2 mi to the south.
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 17 to 55 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Summer brown trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 55 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
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 (2 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 17 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (55 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Early season european perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 28 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 33 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 8 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: arctic char in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 17 to 55 ft before dropping to 10 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 55 ft of water that rates prime for arctic char in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) gets it done.
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 | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 17 to 55 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (55 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Eela Water carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 55 ft down.
Eela Water is about 55 ft (17 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1903, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike, arctic char on Eela Water. 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 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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.
Punds Water 2 mi · Loch of Burraland 2 mi · Roer Water 5 mi · Birka Water 5 mi · Muckle Lunga Water 6 mi · Loch of Flugarth 8 mi · Loch of Littlester 11 mi · Lochs of Hostigates 12 mi · Dallican Water 13 mi · Loch of Aithsness 13 mi · Loch of Clousta 13 mi · Loch of Vaara 14 mi
See how Eela Water stacks up: best northern pike lakes in United Kingdom · best european perch lakes in United Kingdom · best brown trout lakes in United Kingdom · best arctic char lakes in United Kingdom
More water nearby: Shetland Islands fishing maps (29 charts). Browse all United Kingdom fishing maps. 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.