Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Loch Monar
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Loch Monar: what the data says
2,461-acre lake near Highland. The lake tops out around 260 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Loch Monar runs 2,455 acres with 22 miles of edge. A development index of 3.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 5% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives.
Brown Trout fishing at Loch Monar
Early season brown trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 25 to 60 ft game here, winter a 5 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 65 ft, good for summer. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Main-lake point (65 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (117 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
European Perch fishing at Loch Monar
Spring puts european perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 28 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 33 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring european perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (221 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (221 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Northern Pike fishing at Loch Monar
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Arctic Char fishing at Loch Monar
When the water first warms, arctic char slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 20 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 221 ft that scores good in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt) rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | Deep basin (221 ft) | 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 | Deep basin (221 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 221 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 117 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 65 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 65 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Loch Monar?
Loch Monar is about 260 ft (79 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.
What fish are in Loch Monar?
Anglers target northern pike, european perch, brown trout, arctic char on Loch Monar. 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.
Where is the best fishing spot on Loch Monar?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
When is the best time to fish Loch Monar?
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.
Nearby waters
An Gead Loch 3 mi · Loch Beag 3 mi · Loch an Tachdaich 3 mi · Loch Calavie 6 mi · Loch an Fhuar-thuill Mhóir 6 mi · Loch Toll Lochain 7 mi · Loch Sgamhain 8 mi · Loch Sealbhanach 8 mi · Loch a Mhuillidh 8 mi · Loch Beannacharain 9 mi · Upper Loch Gowan 9 mi · Loch Gowan 10 mi
See how Loch Monar 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
Browse all United Kingdom fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.