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268,211-acre section. The big southern bay off Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, Thornbury and Meaford: a salmon and trout shore with river-mouth steelhead runs, harbour pike and deep-water lakers and whitefish. The lake tops out around 314 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 269,415 acres of water rimmed by 105.8 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.5) — enough points and pockets to pattern. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 5% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 34.1 mi end to end and 18.5 mi across at its widest. The nearest mapped water is Mill Pond, 7 mi to the southwest.
In spring, chinook salmon run shallow here, mostly 5 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 30 to 90 ft for winter. Spring chinook salmon concentrate at Nottawasaga River mouth, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Nottawasaga River mouth (6 ft) | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (97 ft) | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | Nottawasaga River mouth (6 ft) | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Sharp break (97 ft) | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Spring puts rainbow trout in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 8 to 40 ft. Spring rainbow trout concentrate at Nottawasaga River mouth, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Nottawasaga River mouth (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Nottawasaga River mouth (6 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 (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Come spring, look for brown trout tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 25 to 60 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 35 ft. Start at Nottawasaga River mouth. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Nottawasaga River mouth (6 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Offshore hump (38 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Nottawasaga River mouth (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Nottawasaga River mouth (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring puts lake trout in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 50 to 120 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 80 ft. Rock reef is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for fall lake trout. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| 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 | Offshore hump (95 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 (38 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 40 to 90 ft game here, winter a 25 to 70 ft one. The chart's best answer is Rock reef — rock pile, 8 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (38 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (69 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (38 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Rock reef, a rock pile in the 8 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (8 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 (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Offshore hump (38 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay also holds northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), walleye (15 to 35 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 38 features, led in depth by Deepest basin at roughly 314 ft.
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 - Nottawasaga Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay is about 314 ft (96 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target chinook salmon, rainbow trout, brown trout, lake trout, lake whitefish, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, common carp on Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay.
Nottawasaga River mouth is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For chinook salmon, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. 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 - Nottawasaga Bay 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.
Mill Pond 7 mi · Edward Lake 17 mi · Marl Lake 17 mi · Jacks Lake 18 mi · Brewsters Lake 18 mi · Mountain Lake 20 mi · Menarys L. 21 mi · Macey Lake 21 mi · Eugenia Lake 22 mi · Farlain Lake 22 mi · Artemesia L. B 23 mi · Little Lake 23 mi
See how Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay 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
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.