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229-acre lake in Fulton County, Illinois. The lake tops out around 35 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, Canton Lake draws 230 acres inside 7.7 miles of shoreline. The 3.6 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. About 65% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 1.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.9 mi at the beam. The water lies in Fulton County. For a second option, Mackinaw River lies 27 mi east.
Spring blue catfish on Canton Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 25 ft. They move out to 9 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 11 to 35 ft. Put Old creek channel first on the milk run — a creek channel near 18 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | |
| Summer | 9 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | |
| Fall | 11 to 35 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 4 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 11 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) |
In spring, common carp run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 15 ft before dropping to 10 to 30 ft for winter. Spring common carp concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 4 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Old creek channel, a creek channel in the 18 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (18 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, flathead catfish run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 11 to 35 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for fall flathead catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (18 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) |
Canton Lake also holds largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), muskellunge (8 to 25 ft in summer), northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), sauger (10 to 30 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), striped bass (11 to 35 ft in summer), walleye (15 to 35 ft in summer), white bass (8 to 25 ft in summer), white bass & hybrids (10 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Illinois waters are set by the Illinois DNR — and special regulations can apply to Canton Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Illinois fishing regulations →
Canton Lake is about 35 ft (11 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.
Anglers target blue catfish, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, crappie, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, sauger, smallmouth bass, striped bass, walleye, white bass, white bass & hybrids on Canton Lake.
Old creek channel is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for blue catfish in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For blue catfish, 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.
Fishing on Canton Lake is regulated by the Illinois DNR. Check the official Illinois regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Mackinaw River 27 mi · Anderson Lake 28 mi · Vermont Lake 31 mi · Lake Storey 36 mi · Schuy-Rush Lake 45 mi · Illinois River 50 mi · Evergreen Lake 51 mi · La Harpe Reservoir 51 mi · Lake Bloomington 56 mi · Sangamon River 57 mi · Mauvaise Terre Lake 60 mi · Lake Springfield 62 mi
See how Canton Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Illinois · best smallmouth bass lakes in Illinois · best walleye lakes in Illinois · best white bass lakes in Illinois
Browse all Illinois 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.