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1,118-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 7 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Ottertail Lake runs 1,123 acres with 10.4 miles of edge, broken up by 2 islands. With a shoreline index of 2.2, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Tip to tip the water measures near 2.4 mi with a 1.3-mi widest point. The water lies in Rainy River District. For a second option, Gallo Lake lies 6 mi east.
Spring walleye on Ottertail Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 7 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 7 ft in summer, 2 to 7 ft once it turns cold. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 3 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (3 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 2 to 7 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 7 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 7 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 7 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 7 ft, and they winter in 2 to 7 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 7 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 7 ft, and they winter in 2 to 7 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (3 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for rock bass tight to the bank in 1 to 7 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 7 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 7 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in the evening. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (3 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 7 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 7 ft, and they winter in 2 to 7 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (6 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Main-lake point, sits near 7 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 Ottertail Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Ottertail Lake is about 7 ft (2 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 walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, crappie on Ottertail Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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.
Fishing on Ottertail 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.
Gallo Lake 6 mi · Hoard Lake 7 mi · Patton Lake 7 mi · Rainy Lake 8 mi · Poulson Lake 9 mi · Rainy Lake 9 mi · Nickel Lake 10 mi · Bad Vermilion Lake 10 mi · Moosehorn Lake 10 mi · Little Turtle L 11 mi · Mong Lake 12 mi · Cherry Lake 12 mi
See how Ottertail Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best crappie lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Rainy River District fishing maps (257 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. 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.