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20-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 43 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Empire Lake draws 19 acres inside 0.7 miles of shoreline. Its 1.2 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. 46% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 0.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.2 mi at the beam. The water lies in Thunder Bay District. For a second option, Mary Jane Lake lies 6 mi southwest.
Spring lake whitefish on Empire Lake hold shallow, usually 13 to 43 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 13 to 43 ft in summer, 13 to 43 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 37 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
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 | Break off the point (19 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (37 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 13 to 43 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (37 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 19 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (37 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (37 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 19 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 3 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 37 ft.
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 Empire Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Empire Lake is about 43 ft (13 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 lake whitefish, yellow perch, northern pike on Empire Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 37 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Empire 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.
Mary Jane Lake 6 mi · Watson Lake 6 mi · Kirkup Lake 7 mi · Windigokan Lake 7 mi · Fairloch Lake 8 mi · Beaverpond L. 12 mi · Paint Lake 13 mi · Parland Lake 13 mi · Ida Lake 14 mi · Foxear Lake 15 mi · Lake Jean 16 mi · Postagoni Lake 16 mi
See how Empire Lake stacks up: 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. 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.