Lake depth chart
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Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
21-acre lake in Grey County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 31 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Minkes Lake runs 21 acres with 1.2 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.9) — enough points and pockets to pattern. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 35% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Call it 0.4 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Grey County. For a second option, McCullough Lake lies 1 mi south.
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 9 to 31 ft game here, winter a 4 to 31 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 31 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 31 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
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 9 to 31 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 4 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 | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (26 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 4 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 (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring rock bass on Minkes Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 8 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (14 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Count 5 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 26 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 Minkes Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Minkes Lake is about 31 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.
Anglers target brown trout, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass on Minkes Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and 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 Minkes 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.
McCullough Lake 1 mi · Sullivan L. D1 2 mi · Harrison Lake 3 mi · Sullivan L. E 3 mi · Sullivan L. F 4 mi · Negro Lakes 4 mi · North Louise Lake 7 mi · Welbeck Mill Pond 7 mi · Louise Lake 7 mi · Boyd Lake 8 mi · Copps Lake 8 mi · Townsend Lake 9 mi
See how Minkes Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brown trout lakes in Ontario · best rock bass lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Grey County fishing maps (47 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.