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12,139-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 160 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1977, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Black Sturgeon Lake runs 12,172 acres with 48.4 miles of edge — 21 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.1) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 17% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 13.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 3.5 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Thunder Bay District. For a second option, Circle Lake lies 6 mi west.
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 50 to 120 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Rock reef, a rock pile in the 9 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. 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 | Rock reef (9 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (160 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 40 to 90 ft game here, winter a 25 to 70 ft one. Start at Rock reef. It's a rock pile holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Feeding flat (45 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 10 to 40 ft. Summer is a 40 to 80 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Start at Rock reef. It's a rock pile holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run 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 | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (160 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Black Sturgeon Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. Put Offshore hump first on the milk run — an offshore hump near 13 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| 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 | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (13 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 20 ft, rated prime for summer 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (20 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Black Sturgeon Lake also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer), lake sturgeon (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Black Sturgeon Lake carries 14 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 160 ft down.
Access data: Land Information Ontario — Fishing Access Point. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Black Sturgeon Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Black Sturgeon Lake is about 160 ft (49 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1977, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, burbot, lake sturgeon on Black Sturgeon Lake.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Black Sturgeon 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.
Circle Lake 6 mi · Muskrat Lake 8 mi · Little Sturge Lake 10 mi · Nonwatin Lake 12 mi · Nonwatinose Lake 14 mi · Sturge Lake 16 mi · Disraeli Lake 16 mi · Frazer Lake 17 mi · Eskwanonwatin Lake 18 mi · Lever Lake 19 mi · Mound Lake 19 mi · Elm Lake 20 mi
See how Black Sturgeon Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · 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.