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Fishing NL: what the data says
121-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 30 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.
Lake Whitefish fishing at NL
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 9 to 30 ft. Summer fish stay in 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 26 ft that scores prime in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Cisco (Lake Herring) fishing at NL
Spring cisco (lake herring) on NL hold shallow, usually 8 to 30 ft. Summer fish stay in 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 26 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Walleye fishing at NL
Spring walleye on NL hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 14 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at NL
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. 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 | 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 |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 26 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 14 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 30 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, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring) on NL.
Where is the best fishing spot on NL?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish NL?
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.
Nearby waters
Island Lake · Beaver Lake · Turtle Lake · Baptiste Lake · Sheba Lake · Steve Lake
See how NL stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Ontario
Browse all Ontario fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.