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.
2,353-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 30 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The outline encloses 2,366 acres, worked by 27.1 miles of shoreline, with 8 islands in the mix. A development index of 4 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. About 64% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 4 mi long by 4 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Rainy River District. If the bite dies, Footprint Lake is 3 mi to the east.
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 9 to 30 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 30 ft. Summer lake whitefish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 26 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. 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 | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring puts cisco (lake herring) in skinny water — 8 to 30 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 30 ft. Spring cisco (lake herring) concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 26 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. 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 | 8 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (26 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 9 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 14 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.
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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
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 9 to 30 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 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.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Lake Despair hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run 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 (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring muskellunge on Lake Despair hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 14 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper).
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 | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Lake Despair also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), burbot (9 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Lake Despair carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 26 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 Lake Despair specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Lake Despair is about 30 ft (9 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.
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, rock bass, crappie, pumpkinseed, burbot on Lake Despair.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 26 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 Lake Despair 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 · Lake Hope 3 mi · West Jackfish Lake 4 mi · Jackfish Lake 6 mi · Burditt Lake 6 mi · Off Lake 7 mi · Panorama Lake 9 mi · Feather Lake 9 mi · Weld Lake 10 mi · Pinewood Lake 10 mi · Wasaw Lake 11 mi · Slender Lake 11 mi
See how Lake Despair stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best crappie lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Rainy River District fishing maps (257 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. 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.