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793-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 20 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
On the chart, Return Lake draws 791 acres inside 5.7 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.4) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 80% of this chart, as modeled. Call it 1.7 mi long by 1.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Thunder Bay District. For a second option, Goodwill Lake lies 2 mi southwest.
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 6 to 20 ft. Even in summer they hold at 6 to 20 ft; winter keeps them in 6 to 20 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 17 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
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 | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 6 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 9 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (9 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (9 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 20 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
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 | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (17 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | Break off the point (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (9 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 |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Return Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 17 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 Return Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Return 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.
Anglers target lake whitefish, walleye, yellow perch, northern pike on Return Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For lake whitefish, 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 Return 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.
Goodwill Lake 2 mi · Lamaune L. 3 mi · Frank Lake 14 mi · Crescent Lake 15 mi · Weewullee Lake 17 mi · Savas Lake 19 mi · Elbow Lake 20 mi · Cleland Lake 22 mi · Jackson Lake 23 mi · Pikitigushi Lake 25 mi · Andy Thompson Lake 25 mi · Mojikit Lake 26 mi
See how Return Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. 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.