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Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
21-acre lake in Timiskaming District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 7 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Traced from the shoreline, Bess Lake runs 21 acres with 0.9 miles of edge. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Call it 0.3 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Timiskaming District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Mavis Lake, 0 mi southeast of here.
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 2 to 7 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 7 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 7 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come fall. 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 | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 7 ft covers summer, 2 to 7 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 3 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 7 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Bess Lake carries 3 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Main-lake point, about 7 ft down.
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 Bess Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Bess Lake is about 7 ft (2 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 yellow perch, northern pike on Bess Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For yellow perch, 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 Bess 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.
Mavis Lake 0 mi · Weary Lake 1 mi · Strange Lake 1 mi · Wood Lake 1 mi · Holbrooke Lake 1 mi · Midlothian Lake 1 mi · Sirola Lake 1 mi · Tory Lake 2 mi · Rhyolite Lake 2 mi · Ward Lake 3 mi · Lloyd Lake 3 mi · Dumbell Lake 3 mi
See how Bess Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Timiskaming District fishing maps (515 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.