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Fishing Bess Lake: what the data says
21-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 7 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Yellow Perch fishing at Bess Lake
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 2 to 7 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 6 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at Bess Lake
Spring northern pike on Bess Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 7 ft. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for fall northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Notable structure
- Main-lake point: point, around 7 ft
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 6 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Bess Lake?
Bess Lake is about 7 ft 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.
What fish are in Bess Lake?
Anglers target northern pike, yellow perch on Bess Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot 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. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Bess Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Mavis Lake · Weary Lake · Strange Lake · Wood Lake · Holbrooke Lake · Tory Lake
See how Bess Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
Browse all Ontario fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.