Bow Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Algoma District, ON)

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Lake depth chart

Bow Lake, ON

Max 8 ft

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Where to start

Fall shiner run window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · same push on the Ontario side — Simcoe's shiners migrate shallow as the water cools, and the predators ride with them

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

June mayfly hatch (walleye lakes) · mayflyJun 1 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Bow Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Bow Lake on the board.

Fishing Bow Lake: what the data says

155-acre lake in Algoma District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 8 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.

On the chart, Bow Lake draws 155 acres inside 4.3 miles of shoreline. A development index of 2.5 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Figure 1.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.6 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Algoma District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Negick Lake, 2 mi east of here.

Northern Pike fishing at Bow Lake

Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 8 ft covers summer, 2 to 8 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Notable structure

Bow Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Main-lake point, about 8 ft down.

Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
Deep basin: deep basin, around 7 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 4 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

Bow Lake fishing regulations

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 Bow Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Bow Lake?

Bow Lake is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Bow Lake?

Anglers target northern pike on Bow Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Bow Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Bow Lake?

For northern pike, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Bow Lake?

Fishing on Bow 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.

Nearby waters

Negick Lake 2 mi · Smilsky Lake 11 2 mi · Smilsky L. 3 3 mi · Smilsky L. 4 3 mi · Huff Lake 3 mi · Crescent Lake 5 mi · Kenny Lake 5 mi · MacGregor Lake 5 mi · Queminico Lake 6 mi · Caysee Lake 7 mi · Joco Lake 7 mi · West Joco Lake 7 mi

See how Bow Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Algoma District fishing maps (1026 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.