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Fishing Pistol Lake: what the data says
190-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 33 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Walleye fishing at Pistol Lake
Spring walleye on Pistol Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 33 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 33 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 32 ft, rated prime for winter walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at Pistol Lake
Spring northern pike on Pistol Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Yellow Perch fishing at Pistol Lake
Spring yellow perch on Pistol Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Pistol Lake
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 33 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 32 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 8 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 7 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 4 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Pistol Lake?
Pistol Lake is about 33 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Pistol Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch on Pistol Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Pistol Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 32 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Pistol Lake?
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Peak Lake · Rossmere Lake · Little Moon Lake · Emerald Lake · Granary Lake · Mathers L.
See how Pistol Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
Browse all Ontario fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.