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17,056-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 120 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Miniss Lake draws 17,130 acres inside 277.2 miles of shoreline, with 158 islands in the mix. The 15.1 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. About 66% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 19.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 7.8 mi at the beam. The water lies in Thunder Bay District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Bertaud Lake, 7 mi northeast of here.
Spring lake whitefish on Miniss Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 90 ft, and by winter most fish are in 25 to 70 ft. The chart's best answer is Rock reef — rock pile, 11 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (36 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (94 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (11 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (36 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Miniss Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 40 to 80 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. The chart's best answer is Rock reef — rock pile, 11 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (36 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deepest basin (94 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (11 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Sharp break (36 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. Start at Sharp break. It's a drop-off holding about 36 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (11 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (36 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (36 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (36 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season sauger use the shallows, holding in 4 to 18 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 45 ft one. The chart's best answer is Rock reef — rock pile, 11 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (11 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (36 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Sharp break (36 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Back-bay flat: a weed flat around 7 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (36 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (36 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Miniss Lake also holds rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
17 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 100 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Miniss Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Miniss Lake is about 120 ft (37 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, burbot on Miniss Lake.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For lake whitefish, 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 Miniss 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.
Bertaud Lake 7 mi · Minchin Lake 11 mi · Medcalf Lake 12 mi · Vincent Lake 16 mi · Lake St. Joseph 17 mi · Churchill Lake 17 mi · Lake St. Joseph 17 mi · Fitchie Lake 17 mi · St. Raphael Lake 18 mi · Hooker Lake 18 mi · Neverfreeze Lake 19 mi · Jabez Lake 20 mi
See how Miniss Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best sauger lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.