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1,540-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 80 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, Barnston Lake draws 1,547 acres inside 14.7 miles of shoreline — 6 islands included. The 2.7 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 64% of this chart. Call it 3.2 mi long by 1.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Kenora District. For a second option, Fatty Lake lies 4 mi northwest.
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 24 to 80 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 70 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 80 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 24 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 40 to 80 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 60 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 80 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 10 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring sauger on Barnston Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 18 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 45 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (12 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow feeding flat (12 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Barnston Lake also holds muskellunge (8 to 25 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), burbot (24 to 80 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 80 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Land Information Ontario — Fishing Access Point. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Barnston Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Barnston Lake is about 80 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, burbot on Barnston Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 80 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For lake whitefish, the summer bite is best in 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 Barnston 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.
Fatty Lake 4 mi · Wegg Lake 4 mi · Camping Lake 4 mi · Goose Lake 8 mi · English River 9 mi · Anishinabi Lake 10 mi · Schroeml Lake 10 mi · Overnight L. 12 mi · Pakwash Lake 12 mi · Detector Lake 14 mi · Wilcox Lake 14 mi · Donalda L. 16 mi
See how Barnston Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best sauger lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.