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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
26-acre lake near Paroisse d'Addington. Government of New Brunswick lake depth survey. The lake tops out around 3 ft. The depth chart comes from Government of New Brunswick DNRED bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, McRae Lake runs 26 acres with 1.3 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.8) — enough points and pockets to pattern. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 0.6 mi long. You'll find it in Restigouche County. For a second option, Middle Tetagouche Lake lies 2 mi southwest.
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 1 to 3 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 1 to 3 ft covers summer, 1 to 3 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 3 ft range, good in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (3 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, chain pickerel slide up into 1 to 3 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 1 to 3 ft, winter 1 to 3 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 3 ft of water and rates good come winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Deep basin (3 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 1 to 3 ft. Through summer count on 1 to 3 ft; the winter hold is 1 to 3 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 3 ft that scores good in fall. Best bite is early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (3 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (3 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (3 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, brook trout run shallow here, mostly 1 to 3 ft. Summer keeps them at 1 to 3 ft, and they winter in 1 to 3 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 3 ft, rated good for summer brook trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (3 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 1 to 3 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (3 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The chart marks 5 structure features on McRae Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 3 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Brunswick waters are set by the New Brunswick fishing rules — and special regulations can apply to McRae Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Brunswick fishing regulations →
McRae Lake is about 3 ft (1 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Government of New Brunswick DNRED bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, brook trout on McRae Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 3 ft of water that rates good for yellow perch in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For smallmouth bass, 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.
Fishing on McRae Lake is regulated by the New Brunswick fishing rules. Check the official New Brunswick regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Middle Tetagouche Lake 2 mi · Upper Tetagouche Lake 3 mi · Lower Tetagouche Lake 4 mi · Lucky Lake 6 mi · Beaver Lake 9 mi · Island Lake 10 mi · Jacquet River Lakes 11 mi · Murray Lake 11 mi · Tongue Lake 11 mi · Head Lake 12 mi · Meadow Lakes 13 mi · Antinouri Lake 13 mi
See how McRae Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New Brunswick · best yellow perch lakes in New Brunswick · best brook trout lakes in New Brunswick · best chain pickerel lakes in New Brunswick
More water nearby: Restigouche County fishing maps (25 charts). Browse all New Brunswick fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: Government of New Brunswick DNRED LakeDepth survey soundings and 2017 interpolated elevation surface (depth below lake surface; 20% measured, 80% source-interpolated). 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.