Smith Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Nipissing District, ON)

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Lake depth chart

Smith Lake, ON

Max 49 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Hopper & ant season (windward banks) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Hopper & ant season (windward banks)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 15 · hoppers peak July–August; winged-ant falls show up on warm humid afternoons — a wind event, not a hatch

adultwarm, breezy afternoons, roughly 1–5pm — slap the imitation down hard — the splat is the trigger — then wait; count to three after the rise before setting

Work the windward bank on breezy summer afternoons — that's where the food is. Casting-bubble-and-hopper is the direct translation; otherwise run small topwaters and inline spinners tight along the grass edges and blowdown banks in the afternoon warmth.

The event happens over windward grassy banks, overhanging brush and blowdowns — wherever the breeze dumps the bugs

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · same push on the Ontario side — Simcoe's shiners migrate shallow as the water cools, and the predators ride with them

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyMay 25 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

June mayfly hatch (walleye lakes) · mayflyJun 1 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Smith Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Smith Lake on the board.

Fishing Smith Lake: what the data says

91-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 49 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.

Traced from the shoreline, Smith Lake runs 91 acres with 2.9 miles of edge. A development index of 2.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. About 26% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 1.1 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Nipissing District. For a second option, Surveyor Lake lies 1 mi west.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Smith Lake

Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Fall smallmouth bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 12 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (12 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (22 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (12 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Break off the point (22 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rock Bass fishing at Smith Lake

When the water first warms, rock bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 12 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Keep a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (12 ft)	1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner
Summer	5 to 20 ft	dusk	Main-lake point (12 ft)	Ned rig (small), Marabou jig
Fall	8 to 22 ft	midday	Break off the point (22 ft)	Small tube jig, Inline spinner
Winter	12 to 30 ft	midday	Break off the point (22 ft)	Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike

Burbot fishing at Smith Lake

Start shallow in spring: burbot sit in 15 to 49 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 15 to 49 ft covers summer, 12 to 49 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 42 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and midday. Throw a heavy jig + cut bait until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	15 to 49 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (42 ft)	Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark)
Summer	15 to 49 ft	night & midday	Deep basin (42 ft)	Heavy jig + cut bait
Fall	15 to 49 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (42 ft)	Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow)
Winter	12 to 49 ft	night & dusk	Deep basin (42 ft)	Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head

Notable structure

Smith Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 42 ft down.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 42 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 22 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 12 ft
Secondary point: point, around 12 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft

Smith Lake fishing regulations

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 Smith Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Smith Lake?

Smith Lake is about 49 ft (15 m) deep 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 Smith Lake?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, rock bass, burbot on Smith Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Smith Lake?

Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Smith Lake?

For smallmouth bass, 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Smith Lake?

Fishing on Smith 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.

Nearby waters

Surveyor Lake 1 mi · Hangstone Lake 4 mi · Wolf Lake 4 mi · Cross Lake 5 mi · Red Cedar Lake 5 mi · South Iron Lake 5 mi · Quennville L. 5 mi · Lowery Lake 6 mi · Opechee Boys Lake 6 mi · Clearview Lake 6 mi · Opechee Lake 6 mi · Norris Lake 6 mi

See how Smith Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best burbot lakes in Ontario · best rock bass lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.