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178-acre lake in Cochrane District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 28 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Forde Lake maps at 177 acres behind 3 miles of shoreline, with a single island in the mix. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 76% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Call it 0.9 mi long by 0.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Cochrane District. If the bite dies, Studholme L. 2 is 1 mi to the west.
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 8 to 28 ft. Summer keeps them at 8 to 28 ft, and they winter in 8 to 28 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 24 ft, rated prime for summer lake whitefish. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon most summer days.
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 | 8 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
In spring, cisco (lake herring) run shallow here, mostly 7 to 28 ft. Summer keeps them at 8 to 28 ft, and they winter in 8 to 28 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 24 ft, rated prime for spring cisco (lake herring). Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic most summer days.
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 | 7 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (24 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 28 ft before dropping to 8 to 28 ft for winter. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
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 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (24 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 24 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 Forde Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Forde Lake is about 28 ft (9 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), yellow perch, northern pike on Forde Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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 Forde 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.
Studholme L. 2 1 mi · Angelina Lake 1 mi · Swift Lake 2 mi · Rabbit Lake 2 mi · Little Hart Lake 2 mi · Abram Lake 2 mi · Hart Lake 3 mi · Samuel Lake 3 mi · Bluebelle Lake 3 mi · Duckwing Lake 3 mi · West Lake 6 mi · Pike Lake 6 mi
See how Forde Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Cochrane District fishing maps (673 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.