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.
145-acre lake in Cochrane District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 48 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 1978, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
On the chart, Stray Lake draws 145 acres inside 3.5 miles of shoreline. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 2) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Roughly 79% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 1.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.5 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Cochrane District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Big Pike Lake, 11 mi south of here.
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 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 18 ft that scores prime in fall. 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (41 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 Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come summer. 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 | Break off the point (18 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (41 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 18 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 (18 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts brown bullhead in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 1 ft, rated prime for spring brown bullhead. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water |
Spring goldeye on Stray Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 10 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 10 ft in summer, 10 to 25 ft once it turns cold. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a small spinner or a dry flies / foam hoppers at dusk.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small jig (white/pink) under a float, Inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small spinner, Dry flies / foam hoppers at dusk |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | open water | Small jig + twister tail, Inline spinner (deeper) |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water | Small jig tipped with minnow piece |
Stray Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 41 ft down.
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 Stray Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Stray Lake is about 48 ft (15 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1978, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, brown bullhead, goldeye on Stray Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on Stray 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.
Big Pike Lake 11 mi · Lac de Coppell 17 mi · Buchanan Lake 18 mi · Opasatika Lake 4 22 mi · Little Rice Lake 23 mi · Flatt Lake 23 mi · Foster Lake 23 mi · Big Rice Lake 24 mi · Opasatika Lake 16 24 mi · Rush Lake 24 mi · Opasakita Lake 12 24 mi · Rufus Lake 24 mi
See how Stray Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brown bullhead lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Cochrane District fishing maps (673 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.