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101-acre lake in Timiskaming District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 79 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 1979, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey). Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 103 acres of water rimmed by 3 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2.1) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 71% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 1 mi end to end and 0.4 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Timiskaming District. The nearest mapped water is Gillies Limit L. 19, 1 mi to the west.
Spring lake whitefish on Johnson Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 24 to 79 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 66 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 24 to 79 ft | dawn | Deep basin (66 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (66 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Johnson Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 24 to 79 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 60 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 66 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 24 to 79 ft | dawn | Deep basin (66 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (66 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run 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 (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (66 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring rock bass on Johnson Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 30 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Johnson Lake also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Johnson Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 66 ft down.
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 Johnson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Johnson Lake is about 79 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1979, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, pumpkinseed on Johnson Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 66 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For lake whitefish, 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 Johnson 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.
Gillies Limit L. 19 1 mi · Hearst Lake 2 mi · Roosevelt Lake 2 mi · Island Lake 2 mi · Hound Chute Lake 3 mi · Mud Lake 3 mi · Prud'homme Lake 3 mi · Rib Lake 4 mi · Rory Lake 4 mi · Best Lake 4 mi · Whitney Lake 4 mi · Mountain Lake 4 mi
See how Johnson Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Timiskaming District fishing maps (515 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or 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.