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1,206-acre lake near Cold Lake. The lake tops out around 99 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Ethel Lake maps at 1,206 acres behind 6.7 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. 35% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 2.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.6 mi at the beam. It sits in Division No. 12. Its nearest charted neighbour, Hilda Lake, is 3 mi to the west.
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 4 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 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 | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (99 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 4 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 15 to 45 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 90 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 99 ft, rated prime for summer lake whitefish. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (99 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (99 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring burbot on Ethel Lake hold shallow, usually 25 to 70 ft. By summer they slide out to 30 to 99 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 60 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 99 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and midday. The summer box starts with a heavy jig + cut bait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (99 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 30 to 99 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (99 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (99 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Ethel Lake carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 99 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 Ethel Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alberta fishing regulations →
Ethel Lake is about 99 ft (30 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, lake whitefish, burbot on Ethel Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For northern pike, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Ethel 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.
Hilda Lake 3 mi · Marie Lake 7 mi · Crane Lake 7 mi · Tucker Lake 10 mi · Cold Lake 12 mi, AB/SK · May Lake 13 mi · Burnt Lake 19 mi · Hirtz Lake 22 mi, SK · Charlotte Lake 22 mi · Angling Lake 23 mi · Manatokan Lake 24 mi · Jessie Lake 25 mi
See how Ethel Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Alberta · best northern pike lakes in Alberta · best yellow perch lakes in Alberta · best lake whitefish 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 credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.