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Fishing South Lake: what the data says
50-acre lake near Ontario. The lake tops out around 26 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Walleye fishing at South Lake
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 26 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 26 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 24 ft, rated prime for winter walleye. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Northern Pike fishing at South Lake
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. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring northern pike. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
| 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 |
Yellow Perch fishing at South Lake
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 26 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 26 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. 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 | 8 to 26 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at South Lake
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 26 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 26 ft. Secondary point is the standout, a point at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for fall smallmouth bass. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 8 to 26 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 8 to 26 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 24 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 7 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 6 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 4 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is South Lake?
South Lake is about 26 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in South Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch on South Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on South Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 24 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish South Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Marsh Lake · Banana Lake · Summers Lake · Dunlop Lake · Gusty Lake · Link Lake
See how South Lake 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
Browse all Ontario fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.