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Rating depth structure for cisco (lake herring).
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
20,121-acre lake near ᑭᒧᓲᒼ ᑇᑎᓈᕽ Deschambault Lake. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The depth chart comes from Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Big Sandy Lake draws 20,081 acres inside 33.3 miles of shoreline, broken up by 4 islands. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.7) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 58% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 9.3 mi, about 5.6 mi across. You'll find it in Division No. 18. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Narrow Lake, 10 mi west of here.
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Big Sandy Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 12 to 40 ft in summer, 12 to 40 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 34 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
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 (34 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef 2 (8 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring lake whitefish on Big Sandy Lake hold shallow, usually 12 to 40 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 12 to 40 ft in summer, 12 to 40 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 34 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
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 | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef 2 (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 18 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef 2 (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run 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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (34 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Count 11 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 34 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Saskatchewan waters are set by the Saskatchewan anglers' guide — and special regulations can apply to Big Sandy Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Saskatchewan fishing regulations →
Big Sandy Lake is about 40 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), lake whitefish, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch on Big Sandy Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 34 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. The interactive chart above rates every 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 Sandy Lake is regulated by the Saskatchewan anglers' guide. Check the official Saskatchewan regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Narrow Lake 10 mi · North Lake 14 mi · Dupueis Lake 19 mi · Road Lake 19 mi · Little Uchuk Lake 21 mi · Sealey Lake 24 mi · Burtlein Lake 25 mi · Baldy Lake 31 mi · Summit Lake 32 mi · Stickley Lake 32 mi · Sapphire Lake 33 mi · Opal Lake 33 mi
See how Big Sandy Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Saskatchewan · best northern pike lakes in Saskatchewan · best yellow perch lakes in Saskatchewan · best lake whitefish lakes in Saskatchewan
More water nearby: Division No. 18 fishing maps (166 charts). Browse all Saskatchewan fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Depth data: Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Lake maps. 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.