Cat Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Kenora District, ON)

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Lake depth chart

Cat Lake, ON

Max 85 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

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyMay 25 – Aug 10 · in ~7 months

June mayfly hatch (walleye lakes) · mayflyJun 1 – Aug 10 · in ~8 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are generated from real agency depth surveys; use the survey badge for the provider, dataset, datum and measured coverage. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

Walleye

Depth · ft

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Recent catches at Cat Lake

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Fishing Cat Lake: what the data says

29,326-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 85 ft. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1978, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.

The drawn water covers 29,456 acres wrapped in 327.8 miles of bank — 229 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 13.6) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. 92% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 18.8 mi end to end and 12.7 mi across at its widest. It sits in Kenora District. If the bite dies, Kamungishkamo Lake is 11 mi to the northwest.

Walleye fishing at Cat Lake

Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 19 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	4 to 15 ft	dusk & dawn	Rock reef (3 ft)	1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig
Summer	15 to 35 ft	dusk & dawn	Sharp break (19 ft)	Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled)
Fall	12 to 40 ft	dusk & night	Sharp break (19 ft)	Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow
Winter	20 to 40 ft	dusk & dawn	Sharp break (22 ft)	Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 21 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 54 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 54 ft
Sharp break: drop-off, around 22 ft
Sharp break: drop-off, around 19 ft
Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 16 ft
Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 13 ft
Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 7 ft
Shallow flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 5 ft
Shallow flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 4 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 4 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 4 ft
Rock reef: rock pile, around 3 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 3 ft

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

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Cat Lake?

Cat Lake is about 85 ft (26 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1978, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).

What fish are in Cat Lake?

Anglers target walleye on Cat Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Cat Lake?

Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Cat Lake?

For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. 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 Cat Lake?

Fishing on Cat 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

Kamungishkamo Lake 11 mi · Gitche Lake 15 mi · Jackpine Lake 16 mi · Sleep Lake 16 mi · Whitestone Lake 18 mi · Lang Lake 18 mi · Wigwasikak Lake 20 mi · Maika Lake 21 mi · McVicar Lake 21 mi · Keigat Lake 22 mi · Brownstone Lake 22 mi · Fawcett Lake 24 mi

See how Cat Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.