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459-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 18 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Traced from the shoreline, Barge Lake runs 457 acres with 4.5 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.5) — enough points and pockets to pattern. About 85% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 1.2 mi, about 0.8 mi across. You'll find it in Thunder Bay District. For a second option, Post Lake lies 2 mi southeast.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 18 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 8 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 18 ft game here, winter a 5 to 18 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
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 (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 18 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 18 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 18 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
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 (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring rock bass on Barge Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 18 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 18 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 8 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
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 | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
In spring, burbot run shallow here, mostly 5 to 18 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 18 ft, and they winter in 5 to 18 ft. Spring burbot concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 15 ft. Fish it in after dark and midday and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy jig + cut bait 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 | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Barge Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 18 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 5 to 18 ft in summer, 5 to 18 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 15 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
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 | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (15 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 15 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Barge Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Barge Lake is about 18 ft (5 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, burbot, cisco (lake herring) on Barge Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Barge Lake 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.
Post Lake 2 mi · Quest L. 5 mi · Glitter L. 5 mi · Six Mile Lake 6 mi · Princess Lake 6 mi · Sturgeon Lake 8 mi · Willow L. 8 mi · Bell Lake 9 mi · Darkwater Lake 10 mi · Vista L. 10 mi · Jessie Lake 11 mi · Graystone Lake 11 mi
See how Barge Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best burbot lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. 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.