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Rating depth structure for walleye.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
878-acre lake near Happy Hollow. The lake tops out around 46 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The outline encloses 876 acres, worked by 8.4 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (2) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Roughly 33% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 2.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.5 mi at the beam. It sits in Division No. 12. Ethel Lake sits 3 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring burbot on Hilda Lake hold shallow, usually 14 to 46 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 14 to 46 ft in summer, 12 to 46 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 45 ft, prime for spring. 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 | 14 to 46 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (45 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 14 to 46 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 12 to 46 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
In spring, cisco (lake herring) run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 14 to 46 ft, and winter fish settle into 14 to 46 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 45 ft, rated prime for summer cisco (lake herring). Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 15 to 45 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 14 to 46 ft, and winter fish settle into 14 to 46 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 45 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 | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
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, 3 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 (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 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 |
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 15 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 | Secondary point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (45 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 3 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 (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Hilda Lake carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 45 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 Hilda Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alberta fishing regulations →
Hilda Lake is about 46 ft (14 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target burbot, cisco (lake herring), lake whitefish, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch on Hilda Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 45 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For burbot, the summer bite is best in after dark and midday. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Hilda 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.
Ethel Lake 3 mi · Crane Lake 4 mi · Tucker Lake 7 mi · Marie Lake 9 mi · May Lake 14 mi · Cold Lake 16 mi, AB/SK · Burnt Lake 20 mi · Charlotte Lake 20 mi · Manatokan Lake 21 mi · Jessie Lake 22 mi · Angling Lake 23 mi · Wolf Lake 24 mi
See how Hilda 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: 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.