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859-acre lake in Parry Sound District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 56 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 865 acres of water rimmed by 21.7 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 5.3) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 77% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 4.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.1 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Parry Sound District. The nearest mapped water is Laural Lake, 3 mi to the southeast.
Come spring, look for cisco (lake herring) tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 17 to 56 ft in summer and finish the year down in 17 to 56 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 48 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (48 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 17 to 56 ft | dawn | Deep basin (48 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 17 to 56 ft | dawn | Deep basin (48 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| 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 | Break off the point (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| 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 |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. Fall smallmouth bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 14 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (25 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for rock bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 14 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is the evening. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Forest Lake also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (17 to 56 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 48 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Forest Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Forest Lake is about 56 ft (17 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 cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Forest Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 48 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 Forest 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.
Laural Lake 3 mi · Bacon Lake 3 mi · Otter Lake 3 mi · Louck Lake 4 mi · Lynch Lake 4 mi · Scheil Lake 4 mi · Wendigo Lake 4 mi · Beautiful Lake 4 mi · Iveys L. 5 mi · Laurier Lake 5 mi · Seven Lake 5 mi · Paisley Lake 5 mi
See how Forest Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ontario · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Parry Sound District fishing maps (441 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or 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.