Red Elk Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (ON)

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Lake depth chart

Red Elk Lake, ON

Max 20 ft

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Where to start

Fall shiner run window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · same push on the Ontario side — Simcoe's shiners migrate shallow as the water cools, and the predators ride with them

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyMay 25 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

June mayfly hatch (walleye lakes) · mayflyJun 1 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Red Elk Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Red Elk Lake on the board.

Fishing Red Elk Lake: what the data says

414-acre lake in Algoma District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 20 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

The drawn water covers 417 acres wrapped in 15.9 miles of bank. An index of 5.6 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. 95% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 3.9 mi, about 1.2 mi across. Algoma District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lidstone Lake, is 5 mi to the southeast.

Yellow Perch fishing at Red Elk Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 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 (3 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	6 to 20 ft	dawn	Deep basin (17 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	6 to 20 ft	midday	Deep basin (17 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	6 to 20 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (17 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Northern Pike fishing at Red Elk Lake

When the water first warms, northern pike slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 17 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 17 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft

Red Elk Lake fishing regulations

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 Red Elk Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Red Elk Lake?

Red Elk Lake is about 20 ft (6 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.

What fish are in Red Elk Lake?

Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike on Red Elk Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Red Elk Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Red Elk Lake?

For yellow perch, 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Red Elk Lake?

Fishing on Red Elk 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.

Nearby waters

Lidstone Lake 5 mi · Boumage Lake 5 mi · Bark Lake 7 mi · Kettle Lake 7 mi · Marie Lake 7 mi · Upper Bark Lake 7 mi · Big Trout L. 7 mi · Labitiche Lake 7 mi · Rose Lake 7 mi · Pandion L. 7 mi · Foucault L. 42 8 mi · Hope Lake 8 mi

See how Red Elk Lake stacks up: best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Algoma District fishing maps (1026 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.