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334-acre lake in Sudbury District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 26 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. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 335 acres of water rimmed by 6.6 miles of bank. The 2.6 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. About 86% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 1.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 1 mi at the beam. The water lies in Sudbury District. The nearest mapped water is Red Pine Lake, 2 mi to the southwest.
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 8 to 26 ft. Even in summer they hold at 8 to 26 ft; winter keeps them in 8 to 26 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 22 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 | 8 to 26 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft | dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 26 ft | dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 26 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 26 ft. Start at Shallow 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 | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft | dawn | Deep basin (22 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Deep basin (22 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (22 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 3 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 (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 22 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Cortez Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Cortez Lake is about 26 ft (8 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 lake whitefish, yellow perch, northern pike on Cortez Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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 Cortez 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.
Red Pine Lake 2 mi · White Pine Lake 2 mi · Spanish Lake 6 mi · Fraser Lake 6 mi · Mississagi Lake 6 mi · Ramsey Lake 7 mi · Kashbogama Lake 8 mi · Upper Green Lake 8 mi · Frechette Lake 9 mi · Shanguish Lake 10 mi · Klemmer Lake 10 mi · Turf Lake 11 mi
See how Cortez Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Sudbury District fishing maps (868 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.