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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
31-acre lake near Paroisse d'Addington. Government of New Brunswick lake depth survey. The lake tops out around 4 ft. The depth chart comes from Government of New Brunswick DNRED bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, Bear Lake draws 31 acres inside 1.5 miles of shoreline, with a single island in the mix. Index 2 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.4 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. You'll find it in Northumberland County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Cuckoo Lake, 1 mi southeast of here.
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 1 to 4 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 1 to 4 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 4 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 4 ft, rated good for winter smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
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 | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season chain pickerel use the shallows, holding in 1 to 4 ft. Even in summer they hold at 1 to 4 ft; winter keeps them in 1 to 4 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 4 ft, good for winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait and you're in the game.
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 | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Spring yellow perch on Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 4 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 1 to 4 ft in summer, 1 to 4 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 4 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
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 | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 1 to 4 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 1 to 4 ft covers summer, 1 to 4 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 4 ft of water that rates good for brook trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (4 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 4 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Brunswick waters are set by the New Brunswick fishing rules — and special regulations can apply to Bear Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Brunswick fishing regulations →
Bear Lake is about 4 ft (1 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Government of New Brunswick DNRED bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, brook trout on Bear Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For smallmouth bass, 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 Bear Lake is regulated by the New Brunswick fishing rules. Check the official New Brunswick regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Cuckoo Lake 1 mi · Neds Lake 1 mi · Kenny Lake 1 mi · Second Lake 2 mi · First Lake 3 mi · Goodwin Lake 3 mi · Clearwater Lake 5 mi · Halfmile Lakes 7 mi · Otter Lake 8 mi · South Little River Lake 9 mi · Grants Lake 9 mi · North Little River Lake 9 mi
See how Bear Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New Brunswick · best yellow perch lakes in New Brunswick · best brook trout lakes in New Brunswick · best chain pickerel lakes in New Brunswick
More water nearby: Northumberland County fishing maps (67 charts). Browse all New Brunswick fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.