McRey Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (ON)

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Lake depth chart

McRey Lake, ON

Max 29 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

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 McRey 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 McRey Lake on the board.

Fishing McRey Lake: what the data says

49-acre lake in Muskoka District Municipality, Ontario. The lake tops out around 29 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:

The drawn water covers 49 acres wrapped in 1.2 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. About 40% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 0.5 mi, about 0.3 mi across. Muskoka District Municipality claims this one. If the bite dies, Healey Lake is 1 mi to the east.

Yellow Perch fishing at McRey Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 9 to 29 ft, wintering in 9 to 29 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	9 to 29 ft	dawn	Deep basin (25 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	9 to 29 ft	midday	Deep basin (25 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	9 to 29 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (25 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at McRey Lake

When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 9 to 29 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 29 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shoreline break: a drop-off around 13 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	9 to 29 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline break (13 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Shoreline break (13 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	9 to 29 ft	midday	Shoreline break (13 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Notable structure

4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 25 ft, is the deepest of them.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 25 ft
Shoreline break: drop-off, around 13 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

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

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is McRey Lake?

McRey Lake is about 29 ft (9 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 McRey Lake?

Anglers target yellow perch, smallmouth bass on McRey Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on McRey Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish McRey Lake?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for McRey Lake?

Fishing on McRey 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

Healey Lake 1 mi · North Healey Lake 1 mi · Stoneleigh Lake 2 mi · McKay Lake 2 mi · Halfway Lake 2 mi · Gordineer L. 3 mi · Atkins Lake 3 mi · Moot Lake 5 mi · Bonnie Lake 5 mi · Sage Lake 5 mi · Leech Lake 5 mi · Gilleach Lake 6 mi

See how McRey Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Muskoka District Municipality fishing maps (276 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.