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.
113-acre lake near Highland. The lake tops out around 35 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 1897-1909, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Loch an Nostarie draws 113 acres inside 3.8 miles of shoreline. A development index of 2.6 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 74% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 1 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Highland. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Loch Morar, 6 mi southeast of here.
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 11 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 35 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
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 (4 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: european perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 28 ft, and winter fish settle into 12 to 33 ft. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (3 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 | Deep basin (35 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| 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 (6 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 | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring arctic char on Loch an Nostarie hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 11 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 35 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 35 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt).
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 (6 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (35 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 | 9 to 35 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Loch an Nostarie carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 35 ft down.
Loch an Nostarie is about 35 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1897-1909, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike, arctic char on Loch an Nostarie. 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.
Back-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.
Loch Morar 6 mi · Loch Màma 7 mi · Loch na Creige Duibhe 8 mi · Loch Dubh 8 mi · Loch Coire na Circe 9 mi · Loch Beoraid 10 mi · Loch Eilt 11 mi · Loch Shiel 16 mi · Loch Doilet 18 mi · Lochan Bac an Lochain 19 mi · Lochan Dubh 20 mi · Loch Quoich 20 mi
See how Loch an Nostarie 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: Highland fishing maps (242 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.