Lake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
5,562-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 90 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, St. Raphael Lake runs 5,586 acres with 74.6 miles of edge — 28 islands included. The 7.1 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Roughly 63% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 9.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 4.7 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Kenora District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Churchill Lake, 5 mi north of here.
Come spring, look for lake whitefish tight to the bank in 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 40 to 90 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 77 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (41 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (77 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (77 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring walleye on St. Raphael Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 15 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (15 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (15 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (41 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, northern pike run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 6 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (15 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: burbot in 25 to 70 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 27 to 90 ft before dropping to 15 to 60 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 77 ft of water that rates prime for burbot in summer. Plan around after dark and midday in the warm months. Summer baits: a heavy jig + cut bait gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (77 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 27 to 90 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (77 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (77 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
13 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 77 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 St. Raphael Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
St. Raphael Lake is about 90 ft (27 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.
Anglers target lake whitefish, walleye, northern pike, burbot on St. Raphael Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 77 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For lake whitefish, 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 St. Raphael 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.
Churchill Lake 5 mi · Rao Lake 8 mi · Chiki Lake 8 mi · Vincent Lake 9 mi · Race Lake 10 mi · Hooker Lake 10 mi · Kim Lake 11 mi · Carling Lake 11 mi · Under Lake 12 mi · Cutcliffe Lake 12 mi · Peg Lake 13 mi · Ragged Wood Lake 14 mi
See how St. Raphael Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario · best burbot lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. 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.