Lake depth chart
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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,545-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 33 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 1983 (an MNRF lake survey). The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 1,545 acres of water rimmed by 27.7 miles of bank, with a single island in the mix. The 5 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 95% of this chart. The basin spans about 4.4 mi end to end and 2.5 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Kenora District. The nearest mapped water is Rosen Lake, 2 mi to the east.
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 8 to 33 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 10 to 33 ft, winter 10 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 26 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
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 33 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 10 to 33 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 (1 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 33 ft game here, winter a 10 to 33 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 26 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
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 (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Little Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 33 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 26 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
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 (1 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 | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 1 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. 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 (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 10 to 33 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 10 to 33 ft covers summer, 8 to 33 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and midday. Throw a heavy jig + cut bait 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 | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 8 to 33 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
The chart marks 7 structure features on Little Bear Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 26 ft.
Access data: Geospatial Ontario - Fishing Access Points; Government of Ontario - MNR Unpatented Crown Land Shoreline; Government of Ontario - MNR Unpatented Crown Land Shoreline. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Little Bear Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Little Bear Lake is about 33 ft (10 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1983 (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot on Little Bear Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 Little Bear 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.
Rosen Lake 2 mi · Snakeweed Lake 4 mi · Bear L. 6 mi · Gerry Lake 6 mi · Joyce Lake 6 mi · Tote L. 7 mi · Little Woman L. 9 mi · Confederation Lake 11 mi · Primok Lake 11 mi · Narrow Lake 12 mi · Boomerang L. 13 mi · Feaver Lake 13 mi
See how Little Bear Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best burbot 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.