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394-acre lake in Parry Sound District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 50 ft. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1976, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, BIG DEER LAKE runs 396 acres with 12 miles of edge, broken up by 11 islands. A development index of 4.3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 84% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 3.1 mi, about 0.6 mi across. The water lies in Parry Sound District. The nearest mapped water is Lake of Many Islands, 3 mi to the east.
These fish are listed in an exact-water agency record as forage or ecological context. They are not target-species profiles and do not affect DepthScout's Prime, Good, or Fair spot ratings.
Official Ontario MNRF Fish ON-Line record. The listing documents source-recorded presence, not present abundance or guaranteed catchability.
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 50 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 50 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 49 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic 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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (49 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (49 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (49 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 11 ft of water and rates prime come summer. 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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season pumpkinseed use the shallows, holding in 1 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 10 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 18 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 1 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, brown bullhead run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 1 ft, rated prime for spring brown bullhead. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow smelt in 2 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 50 ft, wintering in 13 to 50 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 49 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a tiny vertical jig or a small sabiki-style rig where legal gets it done.
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 | 2 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | Tiny silver jig, Micro spoon |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (49 ft) | Tiny vertical jig, Small sabiki-style rig where legal |
| Fall | 14 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 18 to 65 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (49 ft) | Micro spoon, Tiny jig |
| Winter | 13 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | dusk | Deep basin (49 ft) | Tiny glow jig, Micro jigging spoon |
BIG DEER LAKE carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 49 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 BIG DEER LAKE specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
BIG DEER LAKE is about 50 ft (15 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1976, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, rainbow smelt on BIG DEER LAKE.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 49 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 BIG DEER 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.
Lake of Many Islands 3 mi · Wauby Lake 3 mi · Snowshoe Lake 4 mi · Spring Lake 4 mi · Ogden Lake 5 mi · Maeck Lake 5 mi · Schmeiler Lake 6 mi · Pickerel Lake 6 mi · Whalley Lake 6 mi · Love Lake 7 mi · La Brash Lake 8 mi · North Boundary Lake 8 mi
See how BIG DEER LAKE stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Ontario · best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Parry Sound District fishing maps (441 charts). Browse all Ontario 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.