Lake depth chart
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137-acre lake near Highland. The lake tops out around 36 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Traced from the shoreline, Loch Buidhe runs 136 acres with 3.2 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.9) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 70% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.4 mi with a 0.3-mi widest point. The water lies in Highland. For a second option, Loch an Lagain lies 2 mi south.
Come spring, look for brown trout tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 11 to 36 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 16 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) is the honest summer answer here.
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 (9 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 28 ft before dropping to 12 to 33 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. 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 (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (31 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season arctic char use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 11 to 36 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 36 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 31 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) and you're in the game.
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 (16 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 11 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 9 to 36 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (31 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 31 ft, is the deepest of them.
Loch Buidhe is about 36 ft (11 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, arctic char on Loch Buidhe. 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 4 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 an Lagain 2 mi · Loch Migdale 5 mi · Loch Craggie 6 mi · Loch Beannach 10 mi · Lochan Dubh Cadhafuaraich 12 mi · Loch Brora 13 mi · Loch Brora 13 mi · Loch Shin 14 mi · Loch Eye 16 mi · Loch Morie or Loch Glass 16 mi · Loch a Bhealaich 18 mi · Loch Glass 19 mi
See how Loch Buidhe 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. 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.