Lake depth chart
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165-acre lake near Highland. The lake tops out around 51 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 1904, 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 drawn water covers 164 acres wrapped in 3 miles of bank. With a 1.7 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. About 60% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Tip to tip the water measures near 1 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. Highland claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Loch Liath, is 1 mi to the south.
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 3 to 25 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 51 ft, wintering in 5 to 35 ft. Summer brown trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 51 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
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 (2 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 15 to 51 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (51 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 (2 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Early season european perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 28 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 33 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Break off the point (2 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Break off the point (2 ft) | 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. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in 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 | open water | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 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 |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: arctic char in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 51 ft before dropping to 10 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 51 ft of water that rates prime for arctic char in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) gets it done.
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 (2 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 15 to 51 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (51 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (2 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (51 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 51 ft, is the deepest of them.
Loch ma Stac is about 51 ft (16 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1904, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike, arctic char on Loch ma Stac. 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. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Liath 1 mi · Loch a Mhuilinn 1 mi · Loch na Beinne Bàine 4 mi · Loch Aslaich 4 mi · Lochan Glas-bheinn Mhor 6 mi · Loch Cam a Chaochain 7 mi · Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin 7 mi · Loch nam Breac Dearga 7 mi · Loch Meiklie 8 mi · Loch Dubh 8 mi · Loch nan Lann 8 mi · Loch Kemp 9 mi
See how Loch ma Stac 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.