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264-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 95 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 266 acres of water rimmed by 9 miles of bank. A development index of 3.9 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. About 48% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 1.5 mi long by 1.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Nipissing District. For a second option, Black Duck Lake lies 2 mi southeast.
Spring puts lake trout in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 29 to 95 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 80 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 81 ft, rated prime for summer lake trout. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 29 to 95 ft | dawn | Deep basin (81 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (81 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 15 to 45 ft. Summer is a 40 to 90 ft game here, winter a 25 to 70 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 81 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (43 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (81 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (43 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Summer is a 40 to 80 ft game here, winter a 20 to 60 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 81 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (43 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (81 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (43 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 24 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (43 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | Shallow bay flat (6 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 |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 24 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (24 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (43 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Thieving Bear Lake also holds rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), burbot (29 to 95 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Thieving Bear Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 81 ft.
Access data: Geospatial Ontario - Fishing Access Points. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Thieving Bear Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Thieving Bear Lake is about 95 ft (29 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 trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, burbot on Thieving Bear Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 81 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For lake trout, 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 Thieving Bear 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.
Black Duck Lake 2 mi · Hook Lake 3 mi · Mountain Lake 4 mi · Granite Lake 4 mi · Banting Lake 55 4 mi · James Lake 4 mi · Lundy Lake 4 mi · Banting L. 54 4 mi · Net Lake 4 mi · Kanichee Lake 4 mi · Whitney Lake 5 mi · Breeches Lake 5 mi
See how Thieving Bear Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or 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.