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29,934-acre lake in Ontario. The lake tops out around 168 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 29,910 acres wrapped in 439.2 miles of bank — 476 islands included. A development index of 18.1 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. About 52% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 20.2 mi long by 12.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in St. Louis County. If the bite dies, Pocket is 1 mi to the northeast.
Early season lake trout use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 50 to 120 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 80 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (23 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Sharp break (81 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 40 to 90 ft, wintering in 25 to 70 ft. Fall lake whitefish concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Sharp break (81 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring puts cisco (lake herring) in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 40 to 80 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Fall cisco (lake herring) concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (35 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Sharp break (81 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (35 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. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 35 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. 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 (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: sauger sit in 4 to 18 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for sauger in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (35 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Break off the point (35 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. 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 (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (23 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Lac la Croix also holds northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer), lake sturgeon (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Lac la Croix carries 19 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 142 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 Lac la Croix specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Lac la Croix is about 168 ft (51 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, crappie, burbot, lake sturgeon on Lac la Croix.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Lac la Croix 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.
Pocket 1 mi, MN · Finger 1 mi, MN · Takucmich 2 mi, MN · Ge-Be-On-Equat 2 mi, MN · Beartrack 3 mi, MN · Gun 3 mi, MN · Trygg 3 mi, MN · Pekan 3 mi, MN · Eugene 4 mi, MN · Green 4 mi, MN · Profit 4 mi, MN · Fat 4 mi, MN
See how Lac la Croix stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best sauger lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 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.