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265-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 7 ft. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Handley Lake runs 266 acres with 4.6 miles of edge, with a single island in the mix. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 1.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.6 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Thunder Bay District. The nearest mapped water is Gennis Lake, 1 mi to the northeast.
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 2 to 7 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 7 ft, winter 2 to 7 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
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 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 7 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 7 ft through summer, 2 to 7 ft in winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage 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 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Handley Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 4 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 Handley Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Handley Lake is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike on Handley Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For yellow perch, 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 Handley 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.
Gennis Lake 1 mi · Upper Wabikon Lake 2 mi · Wabikon Lake 2 mi · Lever Lake 4 mi · Whistle Lake 7 mi · Poshkokagan Lake 8 mi · Sauerbrei Lake 11 mi · Tarrison Lake B 13 mi · Danielle Lake 13 mi · Heaven Lake 14 mi · Rinker Lake 14 mi · Jessica Lake 14 mi
See how Handley Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.