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1,872-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 79 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1988 (a transect sounding survey). What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 1,881 acres wrapped in 45.4 miles of bank — 29 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 7.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 65% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 6.1 mi end to end and 4.3 mi across at its widest. It sits in Kenora District. Cleveland Lake sits 7 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 24 to 79 ft, wintering in 25 to 70 ft. Summer lake whitefish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 65 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 24 to 79 ft | dawn | Deep basin (65 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (1 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (65 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring puts cisco (lake herring) in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 24 to 79 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Summer cisco (lake herring) concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 65 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (65 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 24 to 79 ft | dawn | Deep basin (65 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (1 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (65 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
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: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 1 ft range, good 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 | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (1 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (65 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 1 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (65 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Critchell Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 1 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season burbot use the shallows, holding in 25 to 70 ft. Expect a summer slide to 24 to 79 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 60 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 65 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and midday. Tie on a heavy jig + cut bait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (65 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 24 to 79 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (65 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 24 to 79 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (65 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (65 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Critchell Lake carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 65 ft down.
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 Critchell Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Critchell Lake is about 79 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1988 (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot on Critchell Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 65 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Critchell 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.
Cleveland Lake 7 mi · Bullock Lake 8 mi · Culverson Lake 9 mi · Warwick Lake 10 mi · Unnamed Lake 10 mi · Grist Lake 11 mi · Meddick Lake 11 mi · McInnes Lake 13 mi · Cornelius Lake 14 mi · Hanging Lake 15 mi · Kennedy Lake 16 mi · Little Round Lake 19 mi
See how Critchell 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.