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Rating depth structure for yellow perch.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
400-acre lake near Main-à-Dieu. The lake tops out around 13 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Grand Lake draws 368 acres inside 5.3 miles of shoreline. Index 2 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 1.5 mi, about 0.7 mi across. The water lies in Cape Breton County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Louisbourg Harbour, 4 mi south of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 13 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 13 ft through summer, 2 to 13 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 11 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (11 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: white perch in 3 to 13 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 13 ft through summer, 4 to 13 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for white perch in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Deep basin (11 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 13 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 13 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 11 ft.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2025 | Brook Trout | 462 | ~11.3" |
| May 29, 2024 | Brook Trout | 454 | ~11.4" |
| Jun 13, 2023 | Brook Trout | 422 | ~11.4" |
| Jun 13, 2023 | Brook Trout | 28 | ~16.1" |
| Jun 15, 2022 | Brook Trout | 1,336 | ~8.1" |
| Jun 15, 2022 | Brook Trout | 484 | ~11.4" |
| Jun 18, 2021 | Brook Trout | 342 | ~12.2" |
| Jun 18, 2021 | Brook Trout | 508 | ~6" |
Source: Nova Scotia hatchery stocking records, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Nova Scotia waters are set by the Nova Scotia sportfishing rules — and special regulations can apply to Grand Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nova Scotia fishing regulations →
Grand Lake is about 13 ft (4 m) deep 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.
Anglers target brook trout, white perch, yellow perch on Grand Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for white perch in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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.
Yes — per Nova Scotia hatchery stocking records records, Grand Lake was most recently stocked May 26, 2025 with 462 brook trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Grand Lake is regulated by the Nova Scotia sportfishing rules. Check the official Nova Scotia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Louisbourg Harbour 4 mi · Gabarus Lake 16 mi · Kilkenny Lake 19 mi · Enon Lake 30 mi · Dalem Lake 30 mi · Cameron Lake 102 mi · Gaspereaux Lake 105 mi · Lochaber Lake 107 mi · Eden Lake 119 mi · Black Lake 120 mi · Forbes Lake 133 mi · West Branch Lake 137 mi
See how Grand Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Nova Scotia · best brook trout lakes in Nova Scotia · best white perch lakes in Nova Scotia
Browse all Nova Scotia fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. 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.