Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for walleye.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
818-acre lake near Happy Hollow. The lake tops out around 46 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Drawn out, this is 816 acres of water rimmed by 6.2 miles of bank — 2 islands included. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. 43% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 1.8 mi, about 1.2 mi across. The water lies in Division No. 12. For a second option, Burnt Lake lies 6 mi north.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: burbot in 14 to 46 ft. The depth story barely changes: 14 to 46 ft through summer, 12 to 46 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 46 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for after dark and midday. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 14 to 46 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (46 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 14 to 46 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 12 to 46 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Come spring, look for cisco (lake herring) tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 14 to 46 ft, then a winter hold in 14 to 46 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 46 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 14 to 46 ft, then a winter hold in 14 to 46 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 46 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (24 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring walleye on May Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 24 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (24 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 8 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 spoon tipped with worm 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 (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (24 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The chart marks 6 structure features on May Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 46 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Alberta waters are set by the Alberta fishing regulations — and special regulations can apply to May Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Alberta fishing regulations →
May Lake is about 46 ft (14 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target burbot, cisco (lake herring), lake whitefish, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch on May Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 46 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For burbot, the summer bite is best in after dark and midday. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on May Lake is regulated by the Alberta fishing regulations. Check the official Alberta regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Burnt Lake 6 mi · Marie Lake 7 mi · Ethel Lake 13 mi · Hilda Lake 14 mi · Crane Lake 15 mi · Tucker Lake 15 mi · Cold Lake 19 mi, AB/SK · Wolf Lake 23 mi · Hirtz Lake 28 mi, SK · Manatokan Lake 28 mi · Caribou Lake 32 mi · Charlotte Lake 33 mi
See how May Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Alberta · best northern pike lakes in Alberta · best yellow perch lakes in Alberta · best lake whitefish lakes in Alberta
More water nearby: Division No. 12 fishing maps (45 charts). Browse all Alberta fishing maps or 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.