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319-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 13 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The drawn water covers 322 acres wrapped in 5.4 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (2.1) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 1.9 mi, about 0.6 mi across. It sits in Nipissing District. Its nearest charted neighbour, Gooderham Lake, is 3 mi to the west.
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 13 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 13 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Otter Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 4 to 13 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 13 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring smallmouth bass on Otter Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 4 to 13 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 13 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 11 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 13 ft (4 m) deep 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.
Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass on Otter Lake.
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. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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.
Gooderham Lake 3 mi · North Spruce Lake 3 mi · South Spruce Lake 5 mi · O'Shea Lake 5 mi · Bruce Lake 5 mi · Hammell Lake 5 mi · Boland Lake 5 mi · Poplar Lake 6 mi · Sucker Lake 6 mi · Secord Lake 6 mi · Fanny Lake 7 mi · Fall Lake 7 mi
See how Otter Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.