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3,614-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 167 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Finlayson Lake draws 3,630 acres inside 52.8 miles of shoreline — 16 islands included. An index of 6.3 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 18% of this chart, as modeled. Call it 7.9 mi long by 1.9 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Rainy River District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Mitt Lake, 1 mi east of here.
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 15 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 90 ft, and by winter most fish are in 25 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 9 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (75 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (9 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (75 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 9 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (75 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Rock reef — rock pile, 9 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Shoreline point (16 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (42 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Finlayson Lake hold shallow, usually 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. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — feeding flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (16 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (16 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Spring smallmouth bass concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 9 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (9 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (16 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Offshore hump (12 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Finlayson Lake also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 10 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 142 ft.
Access data: Geospatial Ontario - Fishing Access Points. 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 Finlayson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Finlayson Lake is about 167 ft (51 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, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, burbot on Finlayson Lake.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. 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 Finlayson 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.
Mitt Lake 1 mi · Low Lake 1 mi · East Hardtack Lake 3 mi · Hardtack Lake 3 mi · Bethune Lake 3 mi · North Twin Lake 4 mi · Marmion Lake 4 mi · Moose Lake 4 mi · Snow Lake 5 mi · Slush Lake 5 mi · Icy Lake 5 mi · Forsberg Lake 6 mi
See how Finlayson Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Rainy River District fishing maps (257 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.