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Fishing Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay: what the data says
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. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Chinook Salmon fishing at Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay
In spring, chinook salmon run shallow here, mostly 5 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 30 to 90 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Nottawasaga River mouth: a inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn & dusk | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dawn & dusk | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 30 to 90 ft | midday | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Rainbow Trout fishing at Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay
Spring rainbow trout on Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Nottawasaga River mouth, a inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Trout fishing at Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Nottawasaga River mouth: a inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Lake Trout fishing at Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 80 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in fall. Best bite is early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Lake Whitefish fishing at Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay
Spring lake whitefish on Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 40 to 90 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Rock reef: a rock pile around 8 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. Rock reef is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for spring smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | 20 to 45 ft | midday | 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.
Notable structure
- Deepest basin: deep basin, around 314 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 310 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 264 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 255 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 208 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 184 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 145 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 138 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 123 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 97 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 97 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 95 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 89 ft
- Offshore hump: offshore hump, around 69 ft
Common questions
How deep is Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay?
Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay is about 314 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, rainbow trout, yellow perch, common carp, chinook salmon, lake trout, brown trout, lake whitefish on Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay.
Where is the best fishing spot on Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay?
Nottawasaga River mouth is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for chinook salmon in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Georgian Bay - Nottawasaga Bay?
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.
Nearby waters
Mill Pond · Edward Lake · Brewsters Lake · Marl Lake · Jacks Lake · Macey Lake
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 every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA hydrographic surveys. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.