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536-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 22 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 535 acres of water rimmed by 5.2 miles of bank. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 81% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 1.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.9 mi at the beam. The water lies in Thunder Bay District. The nearest mapped water is Oskawe Lake, 5 mi to the north.
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| 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 (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 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 |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 22 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 22 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: burbot in 7 to 22 ft. The depth story barely changes: 7 to 22 ft through summer, 6 to 22 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 19 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for after dark and midday. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (19 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (19 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 6 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (19 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 7 to 22 ft, then a winter hold in 7 to 22 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| 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 | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Cox Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 19 ft down.
Access data: Geospatial Ontario - Fishing Access Points. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Cox Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Cox Lake is about 22 ft (7 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 northern pike, smallmouth bass, burbot, yellow perch on Cox 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. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on Cox 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.
Oskawe Lake 5 mi · Forgan Lake 7 mi · Frazer Lake 8 mi · Purdom Lake 9 mi · McKirdy Lake 10 mi · Shamrock Lake 10 mi · Keemle Lake 11 mi · Mound Lake 12 mi · Nonwatinose Lake 13 mi · Eskwanonwatin Lake 14 mi · Nonwatin Lake 15 mi · Gorge Lake 15 mi
See how Cox Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best burbot lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. 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.