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Fishing McLeod Lake: what the data says
776-acre lake near Whitecourt. The lake tops out around 35 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Burbot fishing at McLeod Lake
Spring burbot on McLeod Lake hold shallow, usually 11 to 35 ft. Summer fish stay in 11 to 35 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 35 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 11 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 11 to 35 ft | night & midday | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 11 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 9 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Northern Pike fishing at McLeod Lake
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Rainbow Trout fishing at McLeod Lake
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 25 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 35 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Walleye fishing at McLeod Lake
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 11 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 25 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 11 to 35 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 35 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 25 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 12 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 5 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
Common questions
How deep is McLeod Lake?
McLeod Lake is about 35 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in McLeod Lake?
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, rainbow trout, burbot on McLeod Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on McLeod Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 35 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish McLeod Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Freeman Lake · Goose Lake · Shiningbank Lake · Chrystina Lake · Sang Lake · Lesser Slave Lake
See how McLeod Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Alberta · best northern pike lakes in Alberta · best rainbow trout lakes in Alberta · best burbot lakes in Alberta
Browse all Alberta fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.