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766-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 39 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1982 (a transect sounding survey). Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Traced from the shoreline, Sandison Lake runs 769 acres with 20.2 miles of edge, broken up by 22 islands. The 5.2 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 63% of this chart. The basin spans about 2.5 mi end to end and 1.6 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Thunder Bay District. The nearest mapped water is Vivid Lake, 4 mi to the south.
Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 12 to 39 ft. Through summer count on 12 to 39 ft; the winter hold is 12 to 39 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 39 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 12 to 39 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 12 to 39 ft | dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (1 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 12 to 39 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Come spring, look for cisco (lake herring) tight to the bank in 10 to 39 ft. Through summer count on 12 to 39 ft; the winter hold is 12 to 39 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 39 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 39 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (39 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 12 to 39 ft | dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (1 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 12 to 39 ft | dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring walleye on Sandison Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 39 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 39 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 39 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (39 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 12 to 39 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 39 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (39 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (39 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 1 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 39 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Sandison Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Sandison Lake is about 39 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1982 (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike on Sandison Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 39 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Sandison 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.
Vivid Lake 4 mi · North Whalen Lake 4 mi · Beagle Lake 8 mi · Awkward Lake 11 mi · Maggotte Lake 11 mi · Uneven Lake 11 mi · Kopka River 11 mi · Kenakskaniss Lake 12 mi · Surprise Lake 12 mi · Shawanabis Lake 14 mi · Barbara L. 14 mi · Onamakawash Lake 14 mi
See how Sandison 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 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.