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3,075-acre lake in Peterborough County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 36 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The outline encloses 3,089 acres, worked by 56.3 miles of shoreline — 136 islands included. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 7.2) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 74% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 5.7 mi of water from one end to the other, 3.3 mi at the beam. It sits in Peterborough County. Lovesick Lake sits 2 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 11 to 36 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 36 ft, rated prime for winter walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 11 to 36 ft | dusk & night | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Weed flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (36 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, muskellunge slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Weed flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Weed flat (3 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (36 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 11 to 36 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline point: a point around 12 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | midday | Deep basin (36 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Weed flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Weed flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (36 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rock bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 20 ft, wintering in 12 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Shoreline point, a point in the 5 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for the evening. Summer baits: a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Shoreline point (12 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (36 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Lower Buckhorn Lake also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 11 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 36 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. 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 Lower Buckhorn Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Lower Buckhorn Lake is about 36 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, common carp on Lower Buckhorn Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Lower Buckhorn 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.
Lovesick Lake 2 mi · Clear Lake 4 mi · Raccoon Lake 5 mi · Chemong Lake 6 mi · Katchewanooka Lake 6 mi · Big Bald Lake 6 mi · Big Cedar Lake 6 mi · Sandy Lake 7 mi · Shark Lake 7 mi · Buckhorn Lake 7 mi · Long Lake 7 mi · Big Bald Narrows 7 mi
See how Lower Buckhorn Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ontario · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best crappie lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Peterborough County fishing maps (83 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.