Lake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
925-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 72 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 925 acres of water rimmed by 6.3 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.5) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 60% of this chart, as modeled. Figure 1.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.3 mi at the beam. The water lies in Kenora District. The nearest mapped water is Valjean Lake, 2 mi to the southwest.
Spring puts lake trout in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 22 to 72 ft, wintering in 18 to 72 ft. Summer lake trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 61 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger 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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 22 to 72 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (61 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 18 to 72 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (61 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
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 Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. 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 (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 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 |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 61 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 Ford Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Ford Lake is about 72 ft (22 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 trout, northern pike on Ford Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 61 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Ford 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.
Valjean Lake 2 mi · Osaquan Lake 4 mi · Greenheart Lake 4 mi · Pop Lake 4 mi · Horseshoe Lake 4 mi · Little Raleigh Lake 4 mi · Little Butler Lake 5 mi · Raleigh Lake 5 mi · Butler Lake 6 mi · Belmont L. 6 mi · Camp Lake 6 mi · Agimak Lake 7 mi
See how Ford Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 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.