Lake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
67-acre lake in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Upper Highland Lake runs 67 acres with 1.5 miles of edge. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The basin spans about 0.6 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Hampshire County. For a second option, Lower Highland Lake lies 1 mi south.
These fish are listed in an exact-water agency record as forage or ecological context. They are not target-species profiles and do not affect DepthScout's Prime, Good, or Fair spot ratings.
Official MassWildlife pond record. The listing documents source-recorded presence, not present abundance or guaranteed catchability.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
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 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (15 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Old creek channel (15 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring smallmouth bass concentrate at Creek inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 7 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
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 | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (7 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (15 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (15 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Fall crappie concentrate at Old creek channel, a prime-rated creek channel around 15 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
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 (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (15 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (15 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig 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 | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 15 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 4 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
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 (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring chain pickerel on Upper Highland Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 3 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait.
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 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Upper Highland Lake also holds rock bass (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), brown trout (5 to 15 ft in summer), rainbow trout (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 15 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: MassGIS / Massachusetts DFG public water access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11 | Eastern Brook Trout | — | — |
| May 6 | Brown Trout | — | — |
| Apr 7 | Rainbow Trout | — | — |
Source: MassWildlife trout-stocking report, retrieved 2026-09-03.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Massachusetts waters are set by the MassWildlife — and special regulations can apply to Upper Highland Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Upper Highland Lake is about 15 ft (5 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 largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, yellow perch, chain pickerel, rock bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, brown trout, rainbow trout on Upper Highland Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per MassWildlife trout-stocking report records, Upper Highland Lake was most recently stocked May 11 with eastern brook trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Upper Highland Lake is regulated by the MassWildlife. Check the official Massachusetts regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lower Highland Lake 1 mi · Roaring Brook Reservoir 7 mi · Hallockville Pond 10 mi · Windsor Pond 11 mi · Deerfield River 12 mi · Lake Warner 13 mi · Littleville Lake 13 mi · Cranberry Pond 14 mi · Ashmere Lake 15 mi · Oxbow 15 mi · Leverett Pond 15 mi · Nashawannuck Pond 15 mi
See how Upper Highland Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Massachusetts · best smallmouth bass lakes in Massachusetts · best crappie lakes in Massachusetts · best bluegill lakes in Massachusetts
More water nearby: Hampshire County fishing maps (9 charts). Browse all Massachusetts 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.