Lake depth chart
Today's read
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
81-acre lake in Parry Sound District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 14 ft. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1981 (an MNRF lake survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
McQuillan Lake maps at 81 acres behind 2.3 miles of shoreline. With a 1.9 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.8 mi with a 0.3-mi widest point. Parry Sound District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Fogal Lake, is 1 mi to the southeast.
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. 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 | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (9 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (9 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (9 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 14 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 14 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in 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 (2 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (1 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 14 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 14 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 1 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: pumpkinseed in 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 4 to 14 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in spring. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Deep basin (9 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on McQuillan Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 9 ft.
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 McQuillan Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
McQuillan Lake is about 14 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1981 (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed on McQuillan Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For yellow perch, 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 McQuillan 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.
Fogal Lake 1 mi · Code Lake 1 mi · Skidway Lake 2 mi · Crane Lake 2 mi · Blackstone Lake 3 mi · Traves Lake 3 mi · Healey Lake 3 mi · Kapikog Lake 3 mi · Conger Lake 3 mi · La Force Lake 4 mi · Forget Lake 4 mi · McKechnie Lake 4 mi
See how McQuillan Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ontario · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Parry Sound District fishing maps (441 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.