Matson Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Thunder Bay District, ON)

Hatch outlook

Hopper & ant season (windward banks)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 15 · hoppers peak July–August; winged-ant falls show up on warm humid afternoons — a wind event, not a hatch

adultwarm, breezy afternoons, roughly 1–5pm — slap the imitation down hard — the splat is the trigger — then wait; count to three after the rise before setting

Work the windward bank on breezy summer afternoons — that's where the food is. Casting-bubble-and-hopper is the direct translation; otherwise run small topwaters and inline spinners tight along the grass edges and blowdown banks in the afternoon warmth.

The event happens over windward grassy banks, overhanging brush and blowdowns — wherever the breeze dumps the bugs

Next on this water

Spring bug season (brook trout lakes) · forageApr 25 – Jun 30 · in ~8 months

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyMay 25 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Matson Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Matson Lake on the board.

Fishing Matson Lake: what the data says

31-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 79 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 2003 (an MNRF lake survey). Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

The drawn water covers 31 acres wrapped in 1 miles of bank. Its 1.2 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. 2% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.4 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. It sits in Thunder Bay District. If the bite dies, Bell Lake is 1 mi to the northwest.

Brook Trout fishing at Matson Lake

Spring brook trout on Matson Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — feeding flat, 22 ft, good for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Shallow bay flat (22 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Notable structure

Matson Lake carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 79 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 79 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 43 ft
Secondary point: point, around 34 ft
Shallow bay flat: feeding flat, around 22 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 20 ft

Matson Lake fishing regulations

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 →

Common questions

How deep is Matson Lake?

Matson Lake is about 79 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 2003 (an MNRF lake survey).

What fish are in Matson Lake?

Anglers target brook trout on Matson Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Matson Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 22 ft of water that rates good for brook trout in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Matson Lake?

For brook 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Matson Lake?

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.

Nearby waters

Bell Lake 1 mi · Fallingsnow Lake 5 mi · Crystal Lake 6 mi · Lenore Lake 6 mi · Bearpad Lake 7 mi · Cloud Lake 8 mi · Minnow Lake 11 mi · Lismore L. 1 12 mi · Oliver Lake 13 mi · Sunset Lake 13 mi · Chub Lake 14 mi · South Fowl 14 mi, MN

See how Matson Lake stacks up: best brook trout lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 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.