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537-acre lake in Ontario. The lake tops out around 92 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1980 (a transect sounding survey). Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 539 acres of water rimmed by 15.4 miles of bank — 8 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.7) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 35% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 2 mi end to end and 1.5 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Kawartha Lakes. The nearest mapped water is Rainy Lake, 1 mi to the northeast.
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 28 to 92 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 92 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (34 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 28 to 92 ft | dawn | Deep basin (92 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 34 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (34 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (92 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (34 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: muskellunge in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Back-bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (34 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Winter smallmouth bass concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 34 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| 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 (34 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 (34 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (34 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, pumpkinseed slide up into 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 18 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 the evening and early morning. Keep a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Big Trout Lake also holds brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Big Trout Lake carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 92 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 Trout Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Big Trout Lake is about 92 ft (28 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1980 (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake trout, cisco (lake herring), muskellunge, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Big Trout Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 92 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Trout 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.
Rainy Lake 1 mi · Millward Lake 2 mi · Victoria Lake 5 mi · Pauper Lake 5 mi · Beer Lake 6 mi · Otterhead Lake 6 mi · Little East Lake 6 mi · Sheldon Lake 7 mi · Bob Lake 7 mi · Berrycan Lake 7 mi · Smudge Lake 8 mi · Little Bob Lake 8 mi
See how Big Trout Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ontario · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best muskellunge lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kawartha Lakes fishing maps (20 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.