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20,137-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 50 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1972, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Traced from the shoreline, Pakwash Lake runs 20,229 acres with 93.7 miles of edge, with 63 islands in the mix. An index of 4.7 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. 40% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 12.4 mi, about 5.4 mi across. You'll find it in Kenora District. The nearest mapped water is East Lake, 7 mi to the northeast.
Spring lake whitefish on Pakwash Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 15 to 50 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 50 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 50 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run 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 | Break off the point (40 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn | Deep basin (50 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (7 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (50 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Pakwash Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 15 to 50 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 50 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 50 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run 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 (50 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn | Deep basin (50 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | dawn | Deep basin (50 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 40 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | Rock reef (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (19 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (40 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season sauger use the shallows, holding in 4 to 18 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 45 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 7 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (7 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (19 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (19 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Deep basin (50 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Weed flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Weed flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 | Weed flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (19 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Weed flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Pakwash Lake also holds muskellunge (8 to 25 ft in summer), smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), burbot (15 to 50 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 13 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 50 ft.
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 Pakwash Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Pakwash Lake is about 50 ft (15 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1972, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, rock bass, burbot on Pakwash Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 50 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For lake whitefish, 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 Pakwash 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.
East Lake 7 mi · Fatty Lake 9 mi · Chukuni River 9 mi · Dixie Lake 9 mi · Snail Lake 10 mi · Camping Lake 11 mi · Overnight L. 11 mi · English River 12 mi · Barnston Lake 12 mi · Schroeml Lake 13 mi · Wegg Lake 13 mi · Detector Lake 13 mi
See how Pakwash Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best sauger lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 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.