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276-acre lake in Sudbury District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 65 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Bear Lake maps at 278 acres behind 7.4 miles of shoreline. The 3.2 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 68% of this chart, as modeled. Figure 1.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.2 mi at the beam. It sits in Sudbury District. Lac Barbotte sits 6 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 20 to 65 ft, wintering in 20 to 65 ft. Summer lake whitefish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 55 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. 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 (29 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 65 ft | dawn | Deep basin (55 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (29 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 20 to 65 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (55 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring puts cisco (lake herring) in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 20 to 65 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Summer cisco (lake herring) concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 55 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (29 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 20 to 65 ft | dawn | Deep basin (55 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (55 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 29 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. 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 | Main-lake point (16 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (29 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. 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 (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (29 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (29 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts rock bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 20 ft, wintering in 12 to 30 ft. Summer rock bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 16 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (29 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Bear Lake also holds lake sturgeon (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Bear Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 55 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 Bear Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Bear Lake is about 65 ft (20 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 lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, lake sturgeon on Bear Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 55 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Bear 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.
Lac Barbotte 6 mi · North Channel (French River) 6 mi · Mercer Lake 6 mi · Lac Clair 7 mi · Doe Lake 7 mi · Scollard L. 44 8 mi · Byrne Lake 9 mi · Trout Lake 9 mi · Upper Sturgeon Lake 10 mi · Lower Sturgeon Lake 10 mi · Porcupine Lake 11 mi · Rabbit Lake 12 mi
See how Bear Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Sudbury District fishing maps (868 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.