Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
1,118-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 105 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 1,118 acres wrapped in 8.1 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.7) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 42% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 2 mi with a 1.6-mi widest point. Nipissing District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Chickaree Lake, is 1 mi to the southeast.
Come spring, look for brook trout tight to the bank in 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring lake trout on Merchant Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 32 to 105 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 89 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 32 to 105 ft | dawn | Deep basin (89 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (47 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 15 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 40 to 90 ft before dropping to 25 to 70 ft for winter. Summer lake whitefish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 89 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (47 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (89 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (47 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| 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 | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (89 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (89 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, pumpkinseed run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 6 to 18 ft for winter. Spring pumpkinseed concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season brown bullhead use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 3 to 12 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (89 ft) |
Merchant Lake also holds burbot (32 to 105 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Merchant Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 89 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 Merchant Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Merchant Lake is about 105 ft (32 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 brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Merchant Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 89 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 brook trout, 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 Merchant 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.
Chickaree Lake 1 mi · Happy Isle Lake 2 mi · Redrock Lake 3 mi · Nepawin Lake 4 mi · Big Trout L. 4 mi · Little Crow Lake 5 mi · Lake La Muir 5 mi · Otterslide Lake 5 mi · Hailstorm Lake 6 mi · Langford Lake 6 mi · Big Crow Lake 6 mi · Proulx Lake 7 mi
See how Merchant Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 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.