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Fishing Franklin Lake: what the data says
252-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 36 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Lake Whitefish fishing at Franklin Lake
Spring lake whitefish on Franklin Lake hold shallow, usually 11 to 36 ft. Summer fish stay in 11 to 36 ft, and winter fish hold in 11 to 36 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 11 to 36 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 11 to 36 ft | dawn | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | midday & dawn | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Cisco (Lake Herring) fishing at Franklin Lake
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Franklin Lake hold shallow, usually 9 to 36 ft. Summer fish stay in 11 to 36 ft, and winter fish hold in 11 to 36 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 31 ft, rated prime for spring cisco (lake herring). Plan around early morning in the warm months. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 36 ft | dawn & dusk | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 11 to 36 ft | dawn | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Franklin Lake
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 11 to 36 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 31 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 16 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 9 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 9 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Franklin Lake?
Franklin Lake is about 36 ft 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.
What fish are in Franklin Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring) on Franklin Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Franklin Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Franklin Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Kennedy Lake · Bluewater Lake · Marguerite Lake · Bobwhite L. · Pibroch Lake · Len Lake
See how Franklin Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Ontario
Browse all Ontario fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.