Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
2,572-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 60 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. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Jackfish Lake runs 2,584 acres with 51 miles of edge, with 36 islands in the mix. A development index of 7.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 45% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 4.4 mi, about 3.1 mi across. The water lies in Rainy River District. The nearest mapped water is Footprint Lake, 3 mi to the south.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 18 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 60 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 60 ft, rated prime for summer lake trout. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (13 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 18 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (13 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring lake whitefish on Jackfish Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 18 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 18 to 60 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 60 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
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 | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (31 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 18 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 18 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Jackfish Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 18 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 60 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (31 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 18 to 60 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 31 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (31 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (31 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (31 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (31 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (31 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (31 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Jackfish Lake also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), burbot (18 to 60 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 11 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 60 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 Jackfish Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Jackfish Lake is about 60 ft (18 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, pumpkinseed, burbot on Jackfish Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species Ontario's MNRF recorded in the nearest surveyed lakes, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 60 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Jackfish 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.
Footprint Lake 3 mi · West Jackfish Lake 4 mi · Lake Despair 6 mi · Loonhaunt Lake 6 mi · Lake Hope 6 mi · Ash Lake 6 mi · Feather Lake 7 mi · Cobourg Lake 7 mi · Weld Lake 7 mi · Campbell Lake 8 mi · Burditt Lake 8 mi · Dad Lake 8 mi
See how Jackfish Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Rainy River District fishing maps (257 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.