Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
541-acre lake in Sudbury District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 26 ft. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1979, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 544 acres wrapped in 12.1 miles of bank, with 7 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 3.7) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 89% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 2.4 mi, about 1.1 mi across. It sits in Sudbury District. If the bite dies, Schist Lake is 2 mi to the southeast.
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 26 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 26 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 26 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 26 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 26 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 26 ft, rated prime for fall yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
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 (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Schou Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 1 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| 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 |
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 26 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 Schou Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Schou Lake is about 26 ft (8 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1979, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike on Schou Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species Ontario's MNRF recorded in the nearest surveyed lakes, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and 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 Schou 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.
Schist Lake 2 mi · Wolf Lake 3 mi · Yeo Lake 4 mi · Bagsverd Lake 4 mi · Windy Lake 5 mi · Clam Lake 5 mi · Somme Lake 5 mi · Potier Lake 5 mi · Côté Lake 6 mi · Neville Lake 6 mi · Chester Lake 6 mi · Stony Lake 7 mi
See how Schou Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Sudbury District fishing maps (868 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.