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1,572-acre lake near Highland. The lake tops out around 187 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 1902, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The outline encloses 1,569 acres, worked by 15.3 miles of shoreline. A development index of 2.8 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 40% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 6.1 mi long by 1 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Highland. Its nearest charted neighbour, unnamed, is 3 mi to the southeast.
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 25 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 35 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring brown trout. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | open water | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | open water | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Early season european perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 28 ft game here, winter a 12 to 33 ft one. The chart's best answer is Back-bay flat — weed flat, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | open water | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: arctic char in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 20 to 60 ft, wintering in 10 to 40 ft. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | open water | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Loch Hope carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 187 ft down.
Loch Hope is about 187 ft (57 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1902, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike, arctic char on Loch Hope. 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 5 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.
unnamed 3 mi · Loch an Dheurue 7 mi · Loch Meadie 9 mi · Loch Craggie 10 mi · Loch Coulside or Loch Cuil na Sithe 10 mi · Loch Loyal 11 mi · Loch a Cham Alltain 13 mi · Loch Stack 14 mi · Loch Syre 14 mi · Loch More 14 mi · Loch Naver 15 mi · Loch Merkland 16 mi
See how Loch Hope 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.