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852-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 120 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1974, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The outline encloses 856 acres, worked by 20.3 miles of shoreline, with 7 islands in the mix. An index of 5 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 36% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 4.7 mi, about 2.6 mi across. Thunder Bay District claims this one. If the bite dies, Jackson Lake is 4 mi to the south.
Spring brook trout on Elbow Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 12 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake whitefish in 15 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 40 to 90 ft before dropping to 25 to 70 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 93 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (24 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (93 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (24 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: cisco (lake herring) in 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 40 to 80 ft before dropping to 20 to 60 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 93 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (93 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 35 ft, wintering in 20 to 40 ft. Fall walleye concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 12 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (93 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (24 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (8 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Elbow Lake also holds burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 8 structure features on Elbow Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 93 ft.
Access data: Land Information Ontario — Fishing Access Point. 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 Elbow Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Elbow Lake is about 120 ft (37 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1974, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target brook trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot on Elbow Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook trout, 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 Elbow 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.
Jackson Lake 4 mi · Frank Lake 7 mi · Weewullee Lake 8 mi · Savas Lake 11 mi · Onaman Lake 16 mi · Return Lake 20 mi · O'Neil Lake 20 mi · Fullerton Lake 20 mi · Lamaune L. 21 mi · Goodwill Lake 21 mi · Cecil Lake 21 mi · North Wind Lake 22 mi
See how Elbow Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 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.