Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
823-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 39 ft. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1977, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
On the chart, Stewart Lake draws 826 acres inside 10.5 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 2.6, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 93% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 3.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.1 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Thunder Bay District. The nearest mapped water is Ara Lake, 5 mi to the south.
Spring lake whitefish on Stewart Lake hold shallow, usually 12 to 39 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 12 to 39 ft in summer, 12 to 39 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 27 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
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 | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (7 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Stewart Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 39 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 12 to 39 ft in summer, 12 to 39 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 27 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
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 | 10 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 39 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 27 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Deep basin (27 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 27 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| 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 (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (7 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, burbot run shallow here, mostly 12 to 39 ft. Summer keeps them at 12 to 39 ft, and they winter in 10 to 39 ft. Spring burbot concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 27 ft. Fish it in after dark and midday and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a heavy jig + cut bait most summer days.
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 | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 12 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 10 to 39 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 27 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 Stewart Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Stewart Lake is about 39 ft (12 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1977, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot on Stewart Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 27 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 Stewart 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.
Ara Lake 5 mi · Brace Lake 9 mi · Meta Lake 10 mi · Crayon Lake 11 mi · Tennant Lake 13 mi · Andy Thompson Lake 14 mi · Cecil Lake 19 mi · Mahamo Lake 19 mi · Melchett Lake 19 mi · Boston Lake 20 mi · Kayedon Lake 22 mi · Brandon Lake 23 mi
See how Stewart Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake whitefish lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.