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891-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 53 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The drawn water covers 894 acres wrapped in 14.2 miles of bank, broken up by an island. With a shoreline index of 3.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 70% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 2.8 mi end to end and 1.1 mi across at its widest. Nipissing District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, South Spruce Lake, is 2 mi to the east.
Spring puts cisco (lake herring) in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 16 to 53 ft; cold water stacks them in 16 to 53 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 45 ft, rated prime for summer cisco (lake herring). Plan around early morning in the warm months. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 16 to 53 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 16 to 53 ft | dawn | Deep basin (45 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| 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 (24 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (24 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (24 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Poplar Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| 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 |
Spring smallmouth bass on Poplar Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 13 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (24 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (13 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (24 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts pumpkinseed in skinny water — 1 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 10 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 18 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring pumpkinseed. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 45 ft.
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 Poplar Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Poplar Lake is about 53 ft (16 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), yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed on Poplar Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 45 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. 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 Poplar 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.
South Spruce Lake 2 mi · Hammell Lake 2 mi · O'Shea Lake 3 mi · Tilden Lake 4 mi · North Spruce Lake 4 mi · Gooderham Lake 4 mi · Bidwell Lake 4 mi · Oderkirk Lake 5 mi · Bruce Lake 5 mi · Noble Lake 5 mi · Otter Lake 6 mi · Notman Lake 7 mi
See how Poplar Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 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.