Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
630-acre lake near Stirling. The lake tops out around 77 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 1900, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Lake of Menteith draws 628 acres inside 5.4 miles of shoreline. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.5) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 71% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 1.6 mi, about 1 mi across. You'll find it in Stirling. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Loch Drunkie, 3 mi northwest of here.
Come spring, look for brown trout tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 25 to 60 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 35 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (77 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 (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 28 ft, wintering in 12 to 33 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) gets it done.
| 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 (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (6 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 |
Early season arctic char use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 20 to 60 ft game here, winter a 10 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (77 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring puts rainbow trout in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 8 to 40 ft. Winter rainbow trout concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 77 ft, is the deepest of them.
Lake of Menteith is about 77 ft (23 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1900, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike, arctic char, rainbow trout on Lake of Menteith. 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.
Loch Drunkie 3 mi · Loch Venachar 3 mi · Loch Achray 5 mi · Loch Ard 7 mi · Loch Lubnaig 8 mi · Loch Tinker 9 mi · Loch Dhu 9 mi · Loch Chon 10 mi · Loch Katrine 11 mi · Loch Voil 13 mi · Loch Doine 13 mi · Loch Arklet 14 mi
See how Lake of Menteith 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: Stirling fishing maps (20 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.