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675-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 66 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 a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Drawn out, this is 679 acres of water rimmed by 17.9 miles of bank, with 6 islands in the mix. A development index of 4.9 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 54% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 5.4 mi long by 1.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Thunder Bay District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Granite Lake, 4 mi southwest of here.
Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 20 to 66 ft; cold water stacks them in 17 to 66 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 60 ft range, prime in summer. 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.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (10 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 20 to 66 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (10 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 17 to 66 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 20 to 66 ft game here, winter a 20 to 66 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 60 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon 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 | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 20 to 66 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 20 to 66 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (60 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 20 to 66 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 60 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic 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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 20 to 66 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (60 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 Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 11 ft that grades prime for fall. 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 | Main-lake point (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on McWade 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 3 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 (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
McWade Lake also holds burbot (20 to 66 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
McWade Lake carries 7 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 60 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 McWade Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
McWade Lake is about 66 ft (20 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot on McWade Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species Ontario's MNRF recorded in the nearest surveyed lakes, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 60 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout 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 McWade 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.
Granite Lake 4 mi · Berry Lake 10 mi · Brennan Lake 11 mi · Dagger Lake 12 mi · Change Lake 12 mi · Kenoji Lake 14 mi · Onamakawash Lake 17 mi · Surprise Lake 18 mi · Oliver Lake 19 mi · Gnome Lake 19 mi · Goldsborough Lake 19 mi · Hillside Lake 20 mi
See how McWade Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. 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.