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10,004-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 167 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, McCrea Lake draws 10,055 acres inside 114.7 miles of shoreline — 41 islands included. A development index of 8.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 62% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 12.1 mi long by 5.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Thunder Bay District. For a second option, Pashkokogan Lake lies 8 mi north.
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 50 to 120 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Offshore hump, an offshore hump in the 18 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Break off the point (75 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 40 to 90 ft game here, winter a 25 to 70 ft one. Start at Offshore hump. It's an offshore hump holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (75 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (61 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
When the water first warms, cisco (lake herring) slide up into 10 to 40 ft. Summer is a 40 to 80 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Start at Offshore hump. It's an offshore hump holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (75 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (4 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Offshore hump first on the milk run — an offshore hump near 18 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (26 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, sauger slide up into 4 to 18 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 26 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (4 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (26 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Sharp break (26 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Spring yellow perch on McCrea Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (26 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (26 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
McCrea Lake also holds northern pike (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
McCrea Lake carries 14 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 142 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 McCrea Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
McCrea Lake is about 167 ft (51 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 lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, burbot on McCrea Lake.
Offshore hump is the top-rated area: an offshore hump in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For lake trout, the summer bite is best in 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 McCrea 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.
Pashkokogan Lake 8 mi · Velos Lake 8 mi · East Pashkokogan Lake 9 mi · Jabez Lake 11 mi · Greenbush Lake 12 mi · Koval Lake 12 mi · Little Savant Lake 12 mi · Medcalf Lake 13 mi · Minchin Lake 13 mi · Ranger Lake 16 mi · Hillside Lake 18 mi · Bertaud Lake 18 mi
See how McCrea Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best sauger lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 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.