Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
479-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 118 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 2003 (an MNRF lake survey). What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Drawn out, this is 481 acres of water rimmed by 4.9 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. About 2% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Figure 1.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.9 mi at the beam. The water lies in Thunder Bay District. The nearest mapped water is Chub Lake, 1 mi to the northeast.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 35 to 118 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 80 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 118 ft, rated prime for summer lake trout. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (12 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 35 to 118 ft | dawn | Deep basin (118 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (41 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (98 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring lake whitefish on Oliver 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 Back-bay flat — feeding flat, 18 ft, prime for spring. 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 | Back-bay flat (18 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (98 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Secondary point (12 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Oliver 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 Deep basin — deep basin, 118 ft, good for spring. 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 | Deep basin (118 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (118 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (118 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 Secondary point. It's a point holding about 12 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 | Secondary point (12 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (12 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Secondary point (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (41 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
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 feeding flat in the 11 ft range, prime in winter. 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 (11 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (12 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Secondary point, a point in the 12 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (12 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (12 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (98 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Oliver Lake also holds burbot (35 to 118 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 118 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Land Information Ontario — Fishing Access Point. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Oliver Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Oliver Lake is about 118 ft (36 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 2003 (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, burbot on Oliver Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 118 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Oliver 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.
Chub Lake 1 mi · Cloud Lake 9 mi · Loch Lomond 11 mi · Bell Lake 12 mi · Fallingsnow Lake 13 mi · Matson Lake 13 mi · Kaministiquia River 14 mi · Bearpad Lake 14 mi · Crystal Lake 15 mi · Echo Lake 15 mi · Marks Lake 15 mi · Pete Lake 15 mi
See how Oliver Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best lake trout 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.