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55-acre lake in York Regional Municipality, Ontario. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Traced from the shoreline, Preston Lake runs 55 acres with 1.7 miles of edge. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The basin spans about 0.5 mi end to end and 0.4 mi across at its widest. The water lies in York Regional Municipality. The nearest mapped water is Simeon Lake, 2 mi to the south.
These fish are listed in an exact-water agency record as forage or ecological context. They are not target-species profiles and do not affect DepthScout's Prime, Good, or Fair spot ratings.
Official Ontario MNRF Fish ON-Line record. The listing documents source-recorded presence, not present abundance or guaranteed catchability.
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Winter smallmouth bass concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig 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 | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (3 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
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 | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, pumpkinseed slide up into 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) rigged through the warm months.
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 | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown bullhead in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 12 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 13 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for after dark and the evening.
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 | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) |
Spring puts yellow bullhead in skinny water — 2 to 9 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Spring yellow bullhead concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 4 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark.
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 | 2 to 9 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | night | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 20 ft | dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 28 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 13 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 Preston Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Preston Lake is about 15 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, yellow bullhead on Preston Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For smallmouth bass, 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 Preston 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.
Simeon Lake 2 mi · Haynes Lake 2 mi · St. George Lake 3 mi · Wilcox Lake 4 mi · Bond Lake 5 mi · Philips Lake 6 mi · Musselman Lake 6 mi · Shadow Lake 7 mi · Thompson Lake 7 mi · Staley Lake 7 mi · Lake Seneca 7 mi · Island L. 7 mi
See how Preston Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ontario · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario · best brown bullhead lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: York Regional Municipality fishing maps (16 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. Plan from a nearby city: fishing lakes near Toronto. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.