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Fishing NL: what the data says
173-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 33 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Walleye fishing at NL
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 10 to 33 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 33 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Yellow Perch fishing at NL
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 33 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. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at NL
Spring northern pike on NL hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Burbot fishing at NL
Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 10 to 33 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 10 to 33 ft, and winter fish hold in 8 to 33 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 28 ft, rated prime for spring burbot. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 33 ft | night & dusk | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | night & midday | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | night & dusk | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 8 to 33 ft | night & dusk | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 28 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 15 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is NL?
NL is about 33 ft 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 NL?
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, burbot on NL.
Where is the best fishing spot on NL?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish NL?
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening 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.
Nearby waters
Paddy Lake · Namaygoos Lake · Smirch Lake · Dibble Lake · Kinmoapiku Lake · Lake WE66-23 (DRY-NL-651)
See how NL stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best burbot lakes in Ontario
Browse all Ontario fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.