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206-acre lake in Haliburton County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 79 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1989 (a transect sounding survey). The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The outline encloses 207 acres, worked by 5.7 miles of shoreline, with 3 islands in the mix. An index of 2.8 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. 22% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 1.5 mi, about 0.6 mi across. Haliburton County claims this one. If the bite dies, Big Trout Lake is 1 mi to the southwest.
When the water first warms, lake trout slide up into 10 to 40 ft. Summer is a 24 to 79 ft game here, winter a 20 to 79 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 77 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (30 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 24 to 79 ft | dawn | Deep basin (77 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (30 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 79 ft | dawn | Deep basin (77 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Start shallow in spring: cisco (lake herring) sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 24 to 79 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 77 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (77 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 24 to 79 ft | dawn | Deep basin (77 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 (50 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 7 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (77 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for muskellunge tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 7 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (12 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Main-lake point (30 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (77 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it Secondary point: a point around 12 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (12 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (30 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (50 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Start shallow in spring: pumpkinseed sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 10 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 7 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 7 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 77 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 Rainy Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Rainy Lake is about 79 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1989 (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake trout, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed on Rainy Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 77 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Rainy 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.
Big Trout Lake 1 mi · Millward Lake 2 mi · Pauper Lake 4 mi · Otterhead Lake 5 mi · Little East Lake 5 mi · Beer Lake 5 mi · Berrycan Lake 6 mi · Victoria Lake 6 mi · Bob Lake 7 mi · Bentshoe Lake 7 mi · Upper Crane Lake 7 mi · Sheldon Lake 7 mi
See how Rainy Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best muskellunge lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Haliburton County fishing maps (295 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.