Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
726-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 72 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 729 acres of water rimmed by 5.6 miles of bank, with a single island in the mix. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.5) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 23% of this chart. The basin spans about 2.1 mi end to end and 0.9 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Rainy River District. The nearest mapped water is Trout Lake, 2 mi to the southeast.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 22 to 72 ft before dropping to 18 to 72 ft for winter. Summer lake trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 72 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 22 to 72 ft | dawn | Deep basin (72 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (9 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 18 to 72 ft | dawn | Deep basin (72 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Lilac Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 22 to 72 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 72 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 | Deep basin (72 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 22 to 72 ft | dawn | Deep basin (72 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (47 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 Back-bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. 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 | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (72 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (18 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 Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. 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 (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (5 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 Secondary point, a point in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. 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 (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (9 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (47 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (47 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Lilac Lake also holds rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), burbot (22 to 72 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 7 structure features on Lilac Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 72 ft.
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 Lilac Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Lilac Lake is about 72 ft (22 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target lake trout, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, pumpkinseed, burbot on Lilac Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 72 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Lilac 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.
Trout Lake 2 mi · Spring L. 2 mi · Little Vermilion 2 mi, MN/ON · Dovre 3 mi, MN · Crane Lake 5 mi, MN · Mukooda 6 mi, MN · Little Loon 6 mi, MN · David Lake 6 mi · Loon 6 mi, MN/ON · Steep 6 mi, MN · Fat 7 mi, MN · Sand Point Lake 7 mi, MN/ON
See how Lilac Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ontario · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Rainy River District fishing maps (257 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.