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6,056,000-acre lake near Gimli. The lake tops out around 124 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Lake Winnipeg runs 5,977,887 acres with 1865.7 miles of edge, broken up by 314 islands. A development index of 5.4 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 17% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 257.5 mi, about 78.6 mi across. You'll find it in Division No. 19. The nearest mapped water is St Andrew Lake, 35 mi to the southeast.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 15 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Creek inflow (15 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (24 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (33 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, sauger slide up into 4 to 18 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Creek inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 15 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (15 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (8 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (24 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Sharp break (24 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow flat (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (17 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring yellow perch on Lake Winnipeg hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (24 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (24 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 40 to 90 ft game here, winter a 25 to 70 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 64 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (64 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (12 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (64 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: freshwater drum sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Old creek channel, a creek channel in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for freshwater drum in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. Throw a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Creek inflow (15 ft) | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (8 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | midday | Old creek channel (8 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Old creek channel (8 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Lake Winnipeg also holds channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 96 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 64 ft.
Access data: Manitoba — Waterbody Entry Points. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Manitoba waters are set by the Manitoba anglers' guide — and special regulations can apply to Lake Winnipeg specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Manitoba fishing regulations →
Lake Winnipeg is about 124 ft (38 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target walleye, sauger, northern pike, yellow perch, lake whitefish, freshwater drum, channel catfish on Lake Winnipeg.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Winnipeg is regulated by the Manitoba anglers' guide. Check the official Manitoba regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
St Andrew Lake 35 mi · Mantagao Lake 54 mi · Lake Manitoba 89 mi · Wanipigow Lake 105 mi · Moar Lake 111 mi, ON/MB · Frances Lake 114 mi, ON/MB · Malaher Lake 115 mi, ON · Rheaume Lake 117 mi, ON · Rice Lake 118 mi · Orono Lake 121 mi, ON · Palsen Lake 122 mi, ON · Irwin Lake 122 mi, ON
See how Lake Winnipeg stacks up: best walleye lakes in Manitoba · best northern pike lakes in Manitoba · best yellow perch lakes in Manitoba · best lake whitefish lakes in Manitoba
More water nearby: Division No. 19 fishing maps (9 charts). Browse all Manitoba 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.