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2,793-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 142 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 2,794 acres of water rimmed by 40.8 miles of bank, with 2 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 5.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 21% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 6.6 mi, about 4.3 mi across. You'll find it in Kenora District. The nearest mapped water is Lake WF24-04, 1 mi to the northwest.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. Summer lake trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 121 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (36 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (121 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (64 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring lake whitefish on Route Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 40 to 90 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 9 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (44 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Break off the point (64 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (9 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (64 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Route Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 40 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 60 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 9 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (64 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 40 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (9 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (40 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (9 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, burbot run shallow here, mostly 25 to 70 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 15 to 60 ft for winter. Summer burbot concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 121 ft. Fish it in after dark and midday and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy jig + cut bait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (64 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (121 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (64 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
13 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 121 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Geospatial Ontario - Fishing Access Points. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Route Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Route Lake is about 142 ft (43 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 trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, northern pike, burbot on Route Lake.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Route 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.
Lake WF24-04 1 mi · Mold Lake 2 mi · Sunstrum L. 3 mi · Bonanza Lake 3 mi · Spine L. 3 mi · Trott L. (WF24-17, L.) 4 mi · Bailey Lake 4 mi · Taggart Lake 5 mi · Little Tag Lake 5 mi · Blueberry Lake 5 mi · Marion Lake 5 mi · Coronary Lake 5 mi
See how Route Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 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.