McCool Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Renfrew County, ON)

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Lake depth chart

McCool Lake, ON

Max 52 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Hopper & ant season (windward banks) window is on — see the hatch outlook

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

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · same push on the Ontario side — Simcoe's shiners migrate shallow as the water cools, and the predators ride with them

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

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

June mayfly hatch (walleye lakes) · mayflyJun 1 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at McCool 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 McCool Lake on the board.

Fishing McCool Lake: what the data says

15-acre lake in Renfrew County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 52 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

The outline encloses 14 acres, worked by 0.7 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.3), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. Roughly 21% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. It sits in Renfrew County. If the bite dies, Joes Lake is 1 mi to the northeast.

Brook Trout fishing at McCool Lake

Spring brook trout on McCool 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 Break off the point — drop-off, 23 ft, prime for summer. 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	Main-lake point (13 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (23 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (13 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (23 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Smallmouth Bass fishing at McCool Lake

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 20 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 13 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	Main-lake point (13 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (23 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (13 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Break off the point (23 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Notable structure

McCool Lake carries 3 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 44 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 44 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 23 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 13 ft

McCool 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 McCool Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is McCool Lake?

McCool Lake is about 52 ft (16 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.

What fish are in McCool Lake?

Anglers target brook trout, smallmouth bass on McCool Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on McCool Lake?

Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish McCool 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 McCool Lake?

Fishing on McCool 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

Joes Lake 1 mi · Black Lake 1 mi · Murphy Lake 2 mi · Lower Twin Lake 3 mi · Upper Twin Lake 3 mi · Oakhill Lake 4 mi · Round Lake 4 mi · Ryans Lake 4 mi · Green Lake 4 mi · Jeffers Lake 4 mi · Tooeys Lake 4 mi · Kennelly Lake 4 mi

See how McCool Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Renfrew County fishing maps (298 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or 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.