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1,938-acre lake near Orkney Islands. The lake tops out around 17 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 1906, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Drawn out, this is 1,934 acres of water rimmed by 12.2 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 92% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 3.8 mi, about 1.6 mi across. You'll find it in Orkney Islands. The nearest mapped water is Loch of Harray, 2 mi to the north.
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 2 to 17 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 5 to 17 ft, winter 2 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 10 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 | 2 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 3 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 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, 5 to 17 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 17 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in fall. 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.
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 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (17 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 5 to 17 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.
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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 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 |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 17 ft, is the deepest of them.
Loch of Stenness is about 17 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from Murray & Pullar's Scottish loch survey of 1906, digitized from the bathymetric atlas published in 1910.
Anglers target brown trout, european perch, northern pike on Loch of Stenness. 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.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every 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 of Harray 2 mi · Loch of Kirbister 6 mi · Loch of Boardhouse 8 mi · Loch of Hundland 8 mi · Loch of Swannay 9 mi · Lochs of Geniefea 11 mi · Peerie Water 12 mi · Muckle Water 13 mi · Hoglinns Water 14 mi · Loch of Tankerness 15 mi · Loch of Easter Head 23 mi · St Johns Loch 26 mi
See how Loch of Stenness stacks up: best northern pike lakes in United Kingdom · best european perch lakes in United Kingdom · best brown trout lakes in United Kingdom
More water nearby: Orkney Islands fishing maps (11 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.