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1,250-acre lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 102 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Pickwick Lake draws 1,256 acres inside 19.8 miles of shoreline, broken up by 4 islands. An index of 4 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 37% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 3.5 mi with a 1.7-mi widest point. The water lies in Rainy River District. For a second option, Grimshaw Lake lies 2 mi south.
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 40 to 80 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 60 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 87 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (46 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (87 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (46 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 26 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (46 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 30 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 26 ft that grades good for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Main-lake point (26 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | open water | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Spring puts burbot in skinny water — 25 to 70 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 31 to 102 ft, wintering in 15 to 60 ft. Summer burbot concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 87 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and midday. A heavy jig + cut bait 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 | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (46 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 31 to 102 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (87 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (87 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (46 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Pickwick Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 87 ft.
Access data: Geospatial Ontario - Fishing Access Points. 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 Pickwick Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Pickwick Lake is about 102 ft (31 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 cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, burbot on Pickwick Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 Pickwick 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.
Grimshaw Lake 2 mi · Twist Lake 3 mi · Moose Lake 3 mi · Vista Lake 4 mi · Winkle Lake 5 mi · Weller Lake 5 mi · Muskeg Lake 5 mi · Doman Lake 5 mi · Caterpillar Lake 5 mi · Ryckman Lake 5 mi · Vedette Lake 6 mi · Hickerson Lake 6 mi
See how Pickwick Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best burbot 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.