Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Sam Lake
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Sam Lake: what the data says
20-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 20 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Splake fishing at Sam Lake
Spring splake on Sam Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 20 ft. Summer fish stay in 6 to 20 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 20 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 4 to 20 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
Pumpkinseed fishing at Sam Lake
Spring pumpkinseed on Sam Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 10 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 18 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 17 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 9 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Sam Lake?
Sam Lake is about 20 ft 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 Sam Lake?
Anglers target splake, pumpkinseed on Sam Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Sam Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Sam Lake?
For splake, 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.
Nearby waters
Bonita Lake · Canoe Lake · Tea Lake · Drummer Lake · Namakootchie Creek · Little Drummer Lake
See how Sam Lake stacks up: best splake lakes in Ontario · best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario
Browse all Ontario fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.