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150-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 10 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 151 acres of water rimmed by 3.1 miles of bank. Index 1.8 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. End to end it runs roughly 1.1 mi, about 0.4 mi across. You'll find it in Rainy River District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Melema Lake, 1 mi north of here.
Spring walleye on Matson Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 10 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 10 ft in summer, 3 to 10 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 5 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 10 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 10 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 10 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 10 ft before dropping to 3 to 10 ft for winter. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| 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 | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Matson Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 10 ft down.
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 Matson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Matson Lake is about 10 ft (3 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, northern pike on Matson Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 Matson 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.
Melema Lake 1 mi · Upham Lake 3 mi · Magnetic Lake 3 mi · Lance Lake 3 mi · Whiskeyjack Lake 3 mi · Kawene Lake 4 mi · Sapawe Lake 6 mi · Crooked Pine Lake 7 mi · Mercutio Lake 7 mi · Seine River 7 mi · Companion Lakes 7 mi · Osinawi Lake 7 mi
See how Matson Lake stacks up: 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 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.