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146-acre lake in Haliburton County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 66 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1978, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Drawn out, this is 147 acres of water rimmed by 3.6 miles of bank, with 3 islands in the mix. Index 2.1 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 37% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 0.9 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Haliburton County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Mountain Lake, 1 mi southeast of here.
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (50 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. Fall smallmouth bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 16 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (16 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (50 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (50 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Little Esson Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 64 ft down.
Access data: Land Information Ontario — Fishing Access Point. 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 Esson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Little Esson Lake is about 66 ft (20 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1978, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass on Little Esson Lake.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. 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 Esson 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.
Mountain Lake 1 mi · Esson Lake 1 mi · Cockle Lake 1 mi · Clement Lake 2 mi · Grace Lake 3 mi · Yankton Lake 3 mi · Miskwabi Lake 3 mi · Wilbermere Lake 3 mi · Little Dudmon Lake 4 mi · Cardiff Lake 5 mi · McCue Lake 5 mi · Tory Lake 5 mi
See how Little Esson Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ontario · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best rainbow trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Haliburton County fishing maps (295 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.