Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
81-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 7 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Traced from the shoreline, Bessie Lake runs 81 acres with 2.1 miles of edge — one island included. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.7) — enough points and pockets to pattern. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.6 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. The water lies in Thunder Bay District. For a second option, Ira Lake lies 1 mi southwest.
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 2 to 7 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 7 ft, winter 2 to 7 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn | Deep basin (7 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Deep basin (7 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (7 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 7 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 7 ft through summer, 2 to 7 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Bessie Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, 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 Bessie Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Bessie Lake is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike on Bessie Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Bessie 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.
Ira Lake 1 mi · O'Meara Lake 3 mi · Club Lake 4 mi · Harp Lake 4 mi · Buell Lake 5 mi · Chipman Lake 6 mi · Fernow Lake 6 mi · Switzer Lake 6 mi · Proctor Lake 7 mi · Balancing Lake 7 mi · Mukwa Lake 8 mi · Lukinto Lake 8 mi
See how Bessie Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 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.