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49-acre lake near Cumbria. The lake tops out around 25 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Elter Water or Elterwater draws 48 acres inside 1.8 miles of shoreline. Index 1.8 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 72% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Call it 0.6 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Cumbria. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Grasmere, 2 mi north of here.
Spring brown trout on Elter Water or Elterwater hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 8 to 25 ft in summer, 4 to 25 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 11 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
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 25 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 4 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
In spring, european perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring european perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) 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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 7 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| 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 (11 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (11 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 |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 21 ft, is the deepest of them.
Elter Water or Elterwater is about 25 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 on Elter Water or Elterwater. 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. Open the map above to see every rated 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.
Grasmere 2 mi · Blelham Tarn 3 mi · Grisedale Tarn 5 mi · Esthwaite Water 5 mi · Windermere 7 mi · Coniston Water 7 mi · Blea Tarn 7 mi · Brothers Water 7 mi · Red Tarn, Helvellyn 7 mi · Dock Tarn 7 mi · Thirlmere 8 mi · Burnmoor Tarn 9 mi
See how Elter Water or Elterwater stacks up: best northern pike lakes in United Kingdom · best european perch lakes in United Kingdom · best brown trout lakes in United Kingdom
More water nearby: Cumbria fishing maps (32 charts). 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.