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Best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario

2088 Ontario waters hold pumpkinseed, 1082 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The brilliant little sunfish of weedy northern bays — a snail-crunching shallow-water resident that outnumbers bluegill across the east and Canada.

1. Lake Nipissing — 230 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
2. Lake Nipissing — 230 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
3. Lake Simcoe — 135 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Rice Lake — 44 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Lake Muskoka — 240 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 22 public access sites, 10 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Pigeon Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
7. Atikwa Lake — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. Kakagi Lake — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Muskellunge, Yellow PerchWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
9. Panache Lake — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Georgian Bay — Moon River & Go Home Bay — 239 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
11. Namakan Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Northern PikeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
12. Lake Panache — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. Marmion Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Sturgeon Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
15. Lake Scugog — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Loughborough Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
17. Lake Ontario — Bay of Quinte — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
18. Lake Wanapitei — 396 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Wabaskang Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, MuskellungeWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Lake Joseph — 302 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Matinenda Lake — 280 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Northern Light Lake — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
23. Lake Rosseau — 292 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 6 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Nepewassi Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, MuskellungeWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
25. Sparrow Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented

…plus 2063 more Ontario waters holding pumpkinseed.

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When to fish pumpkinseed in Ontario

• Spring 1–8 ft — Spawning colonies carpet warm, protected bays — small baits dropped on the beds get instant attention.
• Summer 2–10 ft — Docks, pads and weed flats — pumpkinseeds hold tighter to vegetation than bluegill and love snails and nymphs.
• Fall 4–14 ft — Schools tighten on the last green weeds — find healthy cabbage near a drop and the school is there.
• Winter 6–18 ft — A staple ice panfish — soft-bottom flats just outside the deepest green weeds; downsize and watch for lift bites.

Also in Ontario: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best splake lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best lake sturgeon lakes

Pumpkinseed elsewhere: Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · Montana · New York · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Connecticut · Rhode Island