James Lakes Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Timiskaming District, ON)

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Lake depth chart

James Lakes, ON

Max 12 ft

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Where to start

Fall shiner run window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · same push on the Ontario side — Simcoe's shiners migrate shallow as the water cools, and the predators ride with them

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

June mayfly hatch (walleye lakes) · mayflyJun 1 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at James Lakes

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put James Lakes on the board.

Fishing James Lakes: what the data says

21-acre lake in Timiskaming District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 12 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

James Lakes maps at 22 acres behind 1 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.5) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Figure 0.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.2 mi at the beam. Timiskaming District claims this one. Beattie Lake sits 1 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.

Northern Pike fishing at James Lakes

Spring northern pike on James Lakes hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 12 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	4 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (5 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	4 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (5 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	4 to 12 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 10 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 10 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 5 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

James Lakes fishing regulations

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 James Lakes specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is James Lakes?

James Lakes is about 12 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.

What fish are in James Lakes?

Anglers target northern pike on James Lakes.

Where is the best fishing spot on James Lakes?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish James Lakes?

For northern pike, 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.

What are the fishing regulations for James Lakes?

Fishing on James Lakes 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.

Nearby waters

Beattie Lake 1 mi · Wolverton Lake 1 mi · Timmichie Lake 1 mi · Coutts Lake 1 mi · Elspeth Lake 1 mi · Holster Lake 1 mi · Lavoie Lake 2 mi · Little Dougherty Lake 2 mi · Byng Lake 2 mi · Greenock Lake 2 mi · McPhail Lake 3 mi · Michie Lake 3 mi

See how James Lakes stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Timiskaming District fishing maps (515 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or 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.