Lake depth chart
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219-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 16 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Little McCaulay Lake maps at 217 acres behind 4.3 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (2.1) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Roughly 89% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.1 mi with a 0.8-mi widest point. It sits in Rainy River District. Its nearest charted neighbour, Chub Lake, is 1 mi to the north.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 16 ft before dropping to 5 to 16 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
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 | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (7 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 16 ft before dropping to 5 to 16 ft for winter. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
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 (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 5 to 16 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage 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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 16 ft game here, winter a 5 to 16 ft one. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 8 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig 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 | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, cisco (lake herring) run shallow here, mostly 4 to 16 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 16 ft, and they winter in 5 to 16 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for spring cisco (lake herring). Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic most summer days.
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 16 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 3 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 5 to 16 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 16 ft, and they winter in 5 to 16 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for summer lake whitefish. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon most summer days.
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 | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 4 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Little McCaulay Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 14 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 Little McCaulay Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Little McCaulay Lake is about 16 ft (5 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, cisco (lake herring), lake whitefish on Little McCaulay Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Little McCaulay 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.
Chub Lake 1 mi · Perch Lake 3 mi · Banning Lake 3 mi · Flora Lake 4 mi · McCaulay Lake 4 mi · Miranda Lake 4 mi · Niven Lake 5 mi · Bewag Lake 6 mi · Lefteye Lake 7 mi · Narrow Lake 7 mi · Cirrus Lake 8 mi · Lerome Lake 8 mi
See how Little McCaulay Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye 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. 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.