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6,624-acre lake in Algoma District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 240 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1965, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 6,654 acres wrapped in 30.2 miles of bank, with 4 islands in the mix. The 2.6 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 5% of this chart. Call it 8.4 mi long by 2.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. Algoma District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Little Basswood Lake, is 2 mi to the southwest.
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 3 to 20 ft one. Start at Secondary point. It's a point holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (34 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (9 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season lake trout use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Summer is a 50 to 120 ft game here, winter a 20 to 80 ft one. The chart's best answer is Rock reef — rock pile, 10 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (10 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 40 to 90 ft; cold water stacks them in 25 to 70 ft. Rock reef is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for fall lake whitefish. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 34 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (10 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (34 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Fall yellow perch concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 34 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (34 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring smallmouth bass on Basswood Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. The chart's best answer is Rock reef — rock pile, 10 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (9 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (34 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Basswood Lake also holds rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
13 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 240 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 Basswood Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Basswood Lake is about 240 ft (73 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1965, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish, walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rock bass, brown bullhead, burbot on Basswood Lake.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Basswood 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.
Little Basswood Lake 2 mi · Long Lake 2 mi · Brownlee Lake 2 mi · Birch Lake 3 mi · Cranberry Lake 4 mi · Rock Lake 4 mi · Red Rock Lake 4 mi · Foot Lake 5 mi · Loon Lake 5 mi · Clear Lake 5 mi · Brock Lakes 5 mi · Prospect Lake 5 mi
See how Basswood Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Algoma District fishing maps (1026 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.