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6,024-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 100 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The outline encloses 6,051 acres, worked by 44.4 miles of shoreline — 17 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.1) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 39% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 10.3 mi with a 3.7-mi widest point. It sits in Kenora District. Gooch Lake sits 4 mi northwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
Start shallow in spring: lake whitefish sit in 15 to 45 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 90 ft, and winter fish settle into 25 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (48 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (7 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (48 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: cisco (lake herring) sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 40 to 80 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 60 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (48 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (48 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Fall walleye concentrate at Sharp break, a prime-rated drop-off around 21 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts sauger in skinny water — 4 to 18 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 45 ft. Spring sauger concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (5 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. The spot to know is Weed flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Weed flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (5 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (17 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Weed flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Barrel Lake also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), burbot (30 to 100 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
14 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 100 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 Barrel Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Barrel Lake is about 100 ft (30 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, burbot on Barrel Lake.
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Barrel 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.
Gooch Lake 4 mi · Victoria Lake 5 mi · An L. 6 mi · Linwood L. 7 mi · Mars Lake 7 mi · Watts L. 7 mi · Paguchi Lake 8 mi · Pluto Lake 8 mi · Steinhoff Lake 9 mi · Wintering Lake 9 mi · Shrimp Lake 9 mi · Press Lake 9 mi
See how Barrel 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.