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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
76-acre lake near Town of Woodstock. Government of New Brunswick lake depth survey. The lake tops out around 5 ft. The depth chart comes from Government of New Brunswick DNRED bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Drawn out, this is 76 acres of water rimmed by 1.6 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. End to end it runs roughly 0.6 mi, about 0.3 mi across. The water lies in Carleton County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Williamstown Lake, 6 mi northwest of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 1 to 5 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 5 ft through summer, 2 to 5 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 5 ft range, good in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
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 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for chain pickerel tight to the bank in 1 to 5 ft. Through summer count on 1 to 5 ft; the winter hold is 1 to 5 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 5 ft of water and rates good come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait 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 5 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 1 to 5 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 5 ft, winter 2 to 5 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 5 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
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 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts brook trout in skinny water — 1 to 5 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 5 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 5 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 5 ft, rated good for summer brook trout. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
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 5 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 5 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Brunswick waters are set by the New Brunswick fishing rules — and special regulations can apply to Payson Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Brunswick fishing regulations →
Payson Lake is about 5 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Government of New Brunswick DNRED bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, brook trout on Payson Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Payson Lake is regulated by the New Brunswick fishing rules. Check the official New Brunswick regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
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See how Payson Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New Brunswick · best yellow perch lakes in New Brunswick · best brook trout lakes in New Brunswick · best chain pickerel lakes in New Brunswick
Browse all New Brunswick fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: Government of New Brunswick DNRED LakeDepth survey soundings and 2017 interpolated elevation surface (depth below lake surface; 4% measured, 95% source-interpolated). 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.