Lake depth chart
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4,021-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 46 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 1984 (an MNRF lake survey). Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Knox Lake maps at 4,026 acres behind 31.2 miles of shoreline, broken up by 7 islands. With a shoreline index of 3.5, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 92% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 4.7 mi long by 2.9 mi wide at the broadest reach. Kenora District claims this one. If the bite dies, Paishk Lake is 4 mi to the east.
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 46 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 46 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 45 ft, rated prime for summer lake whitefish. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
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 | Rock reef (5 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (5 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring puts cisco (lake herring) in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 46 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 46 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 45 ft, rated prime for summer cisco (lake herring). Plan around early morning in the warm months. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.
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 | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 1 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| 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 (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Knox Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 6 ft, prime for fall. 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 (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Knox Lake carries 9 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 45 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 Knox Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Knox Lake is about 46 ft (14 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1984 (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike on Knox Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 45 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 Knox 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.
Paishk Lake 4 mi · Crystal L. 10 mi · Page L. 11 mi · Cornpicker L. 11 mi · Peterson L. 12 mi · Foley Lake 13 mi · Douglas Lake 14 mi · Bridget Lake 14 mi · Upper Hatchet L. 15 mi · Hatchet Lake 15 mi · Embryo Lake 15 mi · Mulcahy L. 16 mi
See how Knox Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 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.