Lake depth chart
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629-acre lake near Highland. The lake tops out around 132 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 628 acres of water rimmed by 7.8 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 2.2, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 40% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 3.2 mi end to end and 0.6 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Highland. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lochan Coire an Lochain, 4 mi northwest of here.
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 25 to 60 ft game here, winter a 5 to 35 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: european perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 28 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 33 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 15 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| 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 | Break off the point (15 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring arctic char on Loch Ossian hold shallow, usually 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. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 15 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a jigging spoon vertical or a tube jig (smelt).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small casting spoon (silver/orange), Jerkbait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon vertical, Tube jig (smelt) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Casting spoon (orange/gold), Beadhead streamer |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + plastic |
Count 7 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 132 ft.
Loch Ossian is about 132 ft (40 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 Ossian. 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.
Lochan Coire an Lochain 4 mi · Loch Ghuilbinn 4 mi · Loch Treig 5 mi · Lochan Sròn Smeur 6 mi · An Dubh Lochan 7 mi · Loch Eigheach 8 mi · Loch Laidon 8 mi · Lochan na h-Earba 10 mi · Loch Eilde Mór 10 mi · Coire an Lochain 10 mi · Loch Ericht 10 mi · Loch Pattack 11 mi
See how Loch Ossian 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.