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232-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 9 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 1985 (an MNRF lake survey). What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Eli Lake maps at 232 acres behind 4 miles of shoreline. With a 1.9 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. End to end it runs roughly 0.9 mi, about 0.8 mi across. Rainy River District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Peninsula Lake, is 3 mi to the south.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 2 to 9 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 9 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 9 ft. Winter walleye concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 6 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.
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 | 2 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 2 to 9 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 9 ft covers summer, 3 to 9 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. 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.
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 | 2 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 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 3 to 9 ft, then a winter hold in 3 to 9 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 1 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.
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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for burbot tight to the bank in 3 to 9 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 9 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 9 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and midday. A heavy jig + cut bait is the honest summer answer here.
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 9 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (6 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (6 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 2 to 9 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (6 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 6 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 Eli Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Eli Lake is about 9 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1985 (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot on Eli Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Eli 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.
Peninsula Lake 3 mi · Robinson Lake 3 mi · Eltrut Lake 3 mi · Tesup Lake 4 mi · O'Connell Lake 4 mi · Makomesut Lake 7 mi · Kenorain Lake 8 mi · Patricia Lake 8 mi · Jones Lake 8 mi · Bluebeard Lake 8 mi · Manion Lake 9 mi · Eric Lake 9 mi
See how Eli Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best burbot lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Rainy River District fishing maps (257 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.