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8-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 9 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
On the chart, Balsam L. draws 8 acres inside 0.7 miles of shoreline. Index 1.7 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Call it 0.3 mi long. The water lies in Nipissing District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Little High L., 1 mi northeast of here.
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 1 to 9 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 9 ft covers summer, 1 to 9 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 8 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 9 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (8 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 1 to 9 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 1 to 9 ft | dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring yellow perch on Balsam L. hold shallow, usually 2 to 9 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 9 ft in summer, 3 to 9 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 9 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft | midday | Deep basin (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (8 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Main-lake point, sits near 8 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ontario waters are set by the Ontario fishing regulations (FMZ summary) — and special regulations can apply to Balsam L. specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Balsam L. is about 9 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target brook trout, yellow perch on Balsam L..
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook trout, 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.
Fishing on Balsam L. is regulated by the Ontario fishing regulations (FMZ summary). Check the official Ontario regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Little High L. 1 mi · Eighty Acre Lake 1 mi · Antoine Lake 2 mi · Pothole 2 L. 2 mi · Twenty Minute Lake 3 mi · Indian Lake 3 mi · Koko Lake 3 mi · Reynolds Lake 4 mi · Salter Lake 4 mi · Blueberry L. 4 mi · Little Long Lake 4 mi · Mountain Lake 4 mi
See how Balsam L. stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.