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69-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The outline encloses 70 acres, worked by 2.5 miles of shoreline, broken up by an island. With a 2.1 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. 63% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.7 mi with a 0.3-mi widest point. Nipissing District claims this one. Greenwood Lake sits 1 mi south — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring brook trout on Heron Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 30 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Come spring, look for lake trout tight to the bank in 8 to 30 ft. Through summer count on 9 to 30 ft; the winter hold is 8 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 30 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 6 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 8 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
When the water first warms, splake slide up into 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 9 to 30 ft game here, winter a 7 to 30 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 19 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 7 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (19 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: pumpkinseed in 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 6 to 18 ft for winter. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in spring. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (9 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Heron Lake also holds brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (9 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 30 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 Heron Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Heron Lake is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target brook trout, lake trout, splake, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Heron Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated 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.
Fishing on Heron 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.
Greenwood Lake 1 mi · Shawandasee Lake 2 mi · Snow Lake 2 mi · Victory Lake 2 mi · Park Lake 2 mi · Sunrise Lake 3 mi · Crystalline Lake 3 mi · Westward Lake 3 mi · Niger Lake 3 mi · Crane L. 4 mi · Flossie Lake 4 mi · West Ermine L. 4 mi
See how Heron Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 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.