Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
51-acre lake in Renfrew County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 5 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
On the chart, Otter Lake draws 52 acres inside 1.4 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The basin spans about 0.5 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Renfrew County. For a second option, Head Lake lies 2 mi southeast.
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 1 to 5 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 5 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 5 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for pumpkinseed tight to the bank in 1 to 5 ft. Through summer count on 1 to 5 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 5 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 1 to 5 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 1 to 5 ft covers summer, 2 to 5 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 5 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 Otter Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Otter Lake is about 5 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target yellow perch, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Otter Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species Ontario's MNRF recorded in the nearest surveyed lakes, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For yellow perch, 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 Otter 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.
Head Lake 2 mi · Devon Lake 2 mi · Trout Lake 2 mi · Beaver Lake 2 mi · Soldier Lake 2 mi · Findlay Lake 2 mi · Dunlop Lake 3 mi · Mill Lake 3 mi · McKenna Lake 3 mi · Jennings Lake 4 mi · Sweezy Lake 4 mi · Eeyore Lake 5 mi
See how Otter Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario · best brown bullhead lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Renfrew County fishing maps (298 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.