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187-acre lake in Algoma District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 188 acres wrapped in 6.7 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 3.5, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 66% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 1.7 mi end to end and 0.6 mi across at its widest. It sits in Algoma District. If the bite dies, Puzzle Lake is 1 mi to the east.
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 30 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring puts lake whitefish in skinny water — 9 to 30 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 30 ft. Summer lake whitefish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 30 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring puts cisco (lake herring) in skinny water — 8 to 30 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 9 to 30 ft, and winter fish hold in 9 to 30 ft. Spring cisco (lake herring) concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 30 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 9 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 10 ft range, prime in fall. 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring northern pike on South 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 Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for fall. 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 | Break off the point (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season burbot use the shallows, holding in 9 to 30 ft. Even in summer they hold at 9 to 30 ft; winter keeps them in 8 to 30 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 30 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and midday. Tie on a heavy jig + cut bait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 9 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Count 7 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 30 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 South Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
South Lake is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a transect sounding survey by the Ontario MNRF.
Anglers target brook trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, northern pike, burbot on South Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, 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.
Fishing on South 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.
Puzzle Lake 1 mi · Jog Lake 3 mi · Axe Lake 3 mi · Raft Lake 3 mi · Park Lake 4 mi · Helen Lake 4 mi · Nagagamisis Lake 5 mi · McEwing Lake 5 mi · Leaf Lake 5 mi · Frost L. 68 6 mi · Crow Lake 6 mi · Humberstone Lake 6 mi
See how South Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Algoma District fishing maps (1026 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.