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228-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 46 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1978, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Potter Lake maps at 229 acres behind 6.7 miles of shoreline, with 3 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.1) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 54% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 2.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. Nipissing District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Groundhog Lake, is 1 mi to the southwest.
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 3 to 20 ft one. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season lake trout use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Summer is a 14 to 46 ft game here, winter a 12 to 46 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 46 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (19 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 9 to 46 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (19 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 12 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 15 to 45 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 14 to 46 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 46 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 46 ft, rated prime for summer lake whitefish. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 14 to 46 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 14 to 46 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
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 5 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 (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring smallmouth bass on Potter 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, 8 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 (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (19 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (46 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 5 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 (5 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Potter Lake also holds brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (14 to 46 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 46 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 Potter Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Potter Lake is about 46 ft (14 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1978, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Potter Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 46 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook trout, 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 Potter 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.
Groundhog Lake 1 mi · Loft Lake 1 mi · Washa Lake 2 mi · Brule Lake 2 mi · Rainbow Lake 2 mi · Tom Thomson Lake 2 mi · Tepee Lake 3 mi · Straight Shore Lake 3 mi · Falcon Lake 3 mi · Littledoe Lake 3 mi · Lilypond Lake 4 mi · Joe Lake 4 mi
See how Potter Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.