Lake depth chart
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849-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 43 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 1979, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey). Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Cutstone Lake runs 849 acres with 9.7 miles of edge, broken up by 3 islands. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.4) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 88% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 2 mi, about 1.7 mi across. The water lies in Thunder Bay District. The nearest mapped water is Palette L., 2 mi to the southeast.
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 13 to 43 ft. Even in summer they hold at 13 to 43 ft; winter keeps them in 13 to 43 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 39 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.
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 | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 13 to 43 ft, then a winter hold in 13 to 43 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 39 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.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (39 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (39 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 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 39 ft that scores prime in winter. 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 | Secondary point (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (39 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 15 to 35 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come summer. 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 (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (39 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (39 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 Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in fall. 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 (1 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 feeding flat (13 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 30 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Cutstone Lake also holds burbot (13 to 43 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Cutstone Lake carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 39 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 Cutstone Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Cutstone Lake is about 43 ft (13 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1979, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, burbot on Cutstone Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 39 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 Cutstone 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.
Palette L. 2 mi · Queer L. 3 mi · Mattawa Lake 4 mi · Bell Lake 4 mi · Willow L. 5 mi · Mottle L. 6 mi · Eva Lake 8 mi · Darkwater Lake 8 mi · Glitter L. 9 mi · Crystal Lake 11 mi · English Lake 11 mi · McLaurin Lake 12 mi
See how Cutstone 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: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 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.