Lake depth chart
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301-acre lake in Sudbury District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 72 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 300 acres of water rimmed by 4.8 miles of bank, with a single island in the mix. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2) — enough points and pockets to pattern. About 45% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 1.4 mi, about 0.7 mi across. You'll find it in Sudbury District. The nearest mapped water is Alton Lake, 3 mi to the southwest.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 22 to 72 ft before dropping to 18 to 72 ft for winter. Summer lake trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 61 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 22 to 72 ft | dawn | Deep basin (61 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 18 to 72 ft | dawn | Deep basin (61 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring lake whitefish on Piano Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 22 to 72 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 61 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 (32 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 22 to 72 ft | dawn | Deep basin (61 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (61 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
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 Shallow bay 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 | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (32 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (32 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (32 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 20 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (18 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (32 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, burbot run shallow here, mostly 25 to 70 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 22 to 72 ft before dropping to 15 to 60 ft for winter. Spring burbot concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 61 ft. Fish it in after dark and midday and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy jig + cut bait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (61 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 22 to 72 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (61 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 22 to 72 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (61 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (61 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 61 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Piano Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Piano Lake is about 72 ft (22 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 lake trout, lake whitefish, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, burbot on Piano Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 61 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Piano 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.
Alton Lake 3 mi · Doubtful Lake 3 mi · Mackie Lake 4 mi · Lebell Lake 5 mi · Mishap Lake 6 mi · Squirrel Lake 6 mi · Jasper Lake 6 mi · Little Pogamasing Lake 7 mi · Mozhabong Lake 9 mi · Hider Lake 9 mi · Tasker Lake 9 mi · Indian Lake 9 mi
See how Piano Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Sudbury District fishing maps (868 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.