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287-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 16 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The outline encloses 290 acres, worked by 6.5 miles of shoreline. A development index of 2.7 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. About 91% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 2 mi long by 1 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Thunder Bay District. Its nearest charted neighbour, Sassenach Lake, is 3 mi to the southeast.
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 16 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 16 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 5 to 16 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage 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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Painter L. carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 14 ft down.
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 Painter L. specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Painter L. is about 16 ft (5 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 on Painter L..
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 interactive chart above rates every 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 Painter L. 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.
Sassenach Lake 3 mi · Hazel Lake 4 mi · Elga L. 4 mi · Savant Lake 6 mi · Silver Lake 6 mi · Smye Lake 9 mi · Hillside Lake 10 mi · Ranger Lake 11 mi · Neverfreeze Lake 12 mi · Little Savant Lake 14 mi · Koval Lake 14 mi · Heathcote Lake 14 mi
See how Painter L. stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 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.