Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
141-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 33 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1985 (a transect sounding survey). Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Common Lake runs 142 acres with 4.7 miles of edge, broken up by 2 islands. A development index of 2.8 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 85% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 1.5 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Kenora District. The nearest mapped water is Anton Lake, 2 mi to the south.
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 10 to 33 ft. Even in summer they hold at 10 to 33 ft; winter keeps them in 10 to 33 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 32 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 8 to 33 ft. Even in summer they hold at 10 to 33 ft; winter keeps them in 10 to 33 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 32 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 33 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (32 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 33 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 14 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (15 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 33 ft. Start at Back-bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (32 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 32 ft.
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 Common Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Common Lake is about 33 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1985 (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike on Common Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For lake whitefish, 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 Common 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.
Anton Lake 2 mi · Sunday L. 3 mi · Nine Lake 4 mi · Bottle L. 4 mi · Aerofoil Lake 6 mi · Sunk L. 9 mi · Naked L. 9 mi · McKim L. 10 mi · Whitemud Lake 11 mi · Taber Lake 11 mi · Badrock Lake 11 mi · Ogani Lake 12 mi
See how Common Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 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.