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4,415-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 80 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1972, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Traced from the shoreline, Shebandowan Lakes runs 4,434 acres with 41 miles of edge, broken up by 28 islands. With a shoreline index of 4.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 37% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 8.8 mi long by 2.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Thunder Bay District. The nearest mapped water is Amp Lake, 1 mi to the northwest.
Spring puts lake trout in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 24 to 80 ft, wintering in 20 to 80 ft. Summer lake trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 80 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (9 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 24 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 24 to 80 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 70 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 80 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (37 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 24 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (7 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (37 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 40 to 80 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 60 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 80 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (80 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Sharp break (37 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 13 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (19 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (37 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Weed flat. It's a weed flat holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Weed flat, a weed flat in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (7 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Weed flat (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Weed flat (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Shebandowan Lakes also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), burbot (24 to 80 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Shebandowan Lakes carries 14 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 80 ft down.
Access data: Land Information Ontario — Fishing Access Point. 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 Shebandowan Lakes specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Shebandowan Lakes is about 80 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1972, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, burbot on Shebandowan Lakes.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 80 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Shebandowan Lakes 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.
Amp Lake 1 mi · Loch Smith 4 mi · Loch Muich 4 mi · Loch Erne 4 mi · Lower Shebandowan Lake 5 mi · Dakota Lake 7 mi · Kashabowie Lake 7 mi · Tinto Lake 7 mi · Highcliff Lake 8 mi · Greenwater Lake 8 mi · Upper Shebandowan Lake 8 mi · Athelstane Lake 9 mi
See how Shebandowan Lakes stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch 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.