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62-acre lake in Cochrane District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 70 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Gourlay Lake runs 62 acres with 1.6 miles of edge. Nearly circular (index 1.4), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 16% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 0.6 mi, about 0.3 mi across. The water lies in Cochrane District. The nearest mapped water is Seahorse Lake, 0 mi to the southeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 3 to 20 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (22 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (22 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Start shallow in spring: splake sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 25 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (22 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 10 to 45 ft | dawn | Break off the point (22 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 22 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 (17 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (22 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (22 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (22 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 11 ft, rated prime for fall northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 (17 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (17 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Gourlay Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 70 ft.
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 Gourlay Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Gourlay Lake is about 70 ft (21 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target brook trout, splake, yellow perch, northern pike on Gourlay Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook trout, 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 Gourlay 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.
Seahorse Lake 0 mi · Gaf Lake 1 mi · Lulu Lake 1 mi · Ramey Lake 1 mi · Old Man Lake 1 mi · Lallan Lake 1 mi · Little Esker Lake 2 mi · Mall Lake 2 mi · Campbell Lake 2 mi · Hazel Lake 2 mi · Panagapka Lake 2 mi · Bea Lake 2 mi
See how Gourlay Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario · best splake lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Cochrane District fishing maps (673 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.