Lake depth chart
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274,365-acre section. Manitoulin Island's Georgian Bay shore. Manitowaning Bay and South Bay. Across to Killarney and Collins Inlet under the La Cloche hills: lakers and whitefish on the deep edges, walleye and pike in the bays, muskie in the inlet. The lake tops out around 353 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 275,537 acres, worked by 323.5 miles of shoreline, with 6 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 4.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. About 12% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 46.3 mi, about 30.5 mi across. Manitoulin District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, The Three Lakes, is 18 mi to the north.
Spring lake trout on Georgian Bay - Manitoulin & Killarney Shore hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 50 to 120 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 10 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Sharp break (90 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (10 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (15 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 15 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 40 to 90 ft before dropping to 25 to 70 ft for winter. Fall lake whitefish concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 10 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Sharp break (90 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Early season chinook salmon use the shallows, holding in 5 to 40 ft. Summer is a 50 to 120 ft game here, winter a 30 to 90 ft one. The chart's best answer is Collins Inlet (Mahzenazing River) — inflow / creek mouth, 33 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Collins Inlet (Mahzenazing River) (33 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (90 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Collins Inlet (Mahzenazing River) (33 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Sharp break (90 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter an 8 to 40 ft one. Start at Rock reef. It's a rock pile holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (13 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Collins Inlet (Mahzenazing River) (33 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Rock reef (10 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 45 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (13 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shoreline point first on the milk run — a point near 13 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Collins Inlet (Mahzenazing River) (33 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (13 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (13 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shoreline point (13 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Georgian Bay - Manitoulin & Killarney Shore also holds walleye (15 to 35 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), muskellunge (8 to 25 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Georgian Bay - Manitoulin & Killarney Shore carries 25 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 352 ft down.
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 Georgian Bay - Manitoulin & Killarney Shore specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Georgian Bay - Manitoulin & Killarney Shore is about 353 ft (108 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, chinook salmon, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, muskellunge, rock bass on Georgian Bay - Manitoulin & Killarney Shore.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Georgian Bay - Manitoulin & Killarney Shore 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.
The Three Lakes 18 mi · Lake Manitou 18 mi · Burke Lake 19 mi · Lumsden Lake 20 mi · Acid Lake 20 mi · A.Y. Jackson Lake 21 mi · Cave Lake 21 mi · George Lake 21 mi · Cranberry Bog 21 mi · Teardrop Lake 22 mi · Muriel Lake 22 mi · Freeland Lake 22 mi
See how Georgian Bay - Manitoulin & Killarney Shore stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best rainbow trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Manitoulin District fishing maps (10 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA hydrographic surveys. 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.