Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at North Pencil Lake
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing North Pencil Lake: what the data says
58-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 16 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Walleye fishing at North Pencil Lake
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 5 to 16 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 16 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 7 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at North Pencil Lake
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 16 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Best bite is early morning and the evening. 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 | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Yellow Perch fishing at North Pencil Lake
Spring yellow perch on North Pencil Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 16 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 16 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. 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 | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at North Pencil Lake
Spring smallmouth bass on North Pencil Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 16 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 16 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 16 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 7 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 2 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is North Pencil Lake?
North Pencil Lake is about 16 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in North Pencil Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch on North Pencil Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on North Pencil Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 7 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 North Pencil Lake?
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
Lowry Lake · Tory Lake · McCue Lake · North Rathbun Lake · Buckskin Lake · Billings Lake
See how North Pencil Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
Browse all Ontario fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.