Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
120,581-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 50 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1964, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
On the chart, Sandy Lake draws 121,129 acres inside 633.2 miles of shoreline, broken up by 433 islands. An index of 13 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 83% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 49.7 mi, about 17 mi across. The water lies in Kenora District. For a second option, Helm Lake lies 17 mi south.
Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 50 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 50 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 49 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in 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 | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (28 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn | Deep basin (49 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (4 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (49 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Come spring, look for cisco (lake herring) tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 50 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 50 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 49 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in 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 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deepest basin (47 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft | dawn | Deep basin (49 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (4 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 15 to 50 ft | dawn | Deep basin (49 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring walleye on Sandy Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 28 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run 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 | Rock reef (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (28 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (28 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (28 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for sauger tight to the bank in 4 to 18 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deepest basin: a deep basin around 47 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (4 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (28 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (28 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Deepest basin (47 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (28 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (28 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (28 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Time it for early morning and the evening. 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 (4 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow flat (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 | Weed flat (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Sandy Lake also holds burbot (15 to 50 ft in summer), lake sturgeon (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 42 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 49 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 Sandy Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Sandy Lake is about 50 ft (15 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1964, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot, lake sturgeon on Sandy Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 49 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Sandy 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.
Helm Lake 17 mi · Finger Lake 19 mi · Hawley Lakes 22 mi · South Trout Lake 26 mi · Setting Net Lake 26 mi · Opasquia Lake 28 mi · Duckling Lake 32 mi · North Spirit Lake 34 mi · Favourable Lake 35 mi · Kennedy Lake 36 mi · Cocos Lake 37 mi · Margot Lake 38 mi
See how Sandy Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best sauger lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 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.