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Fishing Smith Lake: what the data says
193-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 36 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Cisco (Lake Herring) fishing at Smith Lake
In spring, cisco (lake herring) run shallow here, mostly 9 to 36 ft. Summer fish stay in 11 to 36 ft, and winter fish hold in 11 to 36 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 31 ft, rated prime for spring cisco (lake herring). Best bite is 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 | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 36 ft | dawn & dusk | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 11 to 36 ft | dawn | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Walleye fishing at Smith Lake
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 11 to 36 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 16 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 11 to 36 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Yellow Perch fishing at Smith Lake
Spring yellow perch on Smith Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Northern Pike fishing at Smith Lake
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 31 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 16 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 9 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 9 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Smith Lake?
Smith Lake is about 36 ft 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 walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, cisco (lake herring) on Smith Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Smith Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 31 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Smith Lake?
For cisco (lake herring), 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.
Nearby waters
Letain Lake · Husband Lake · Wife Lake · Tyrell Lake · Bradshaw Lake · Seine River
See how Smith Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Ontario
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