Turtle L. Depth Map & Fishing Spots (ON)

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Lake depth chart

Turtle L., ON

Max 7 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Hopper & ant season (windward banks) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Hopper & ant season (windward banks)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 15 · hoppers peak July–August; winged-ant falls show up on warm humid afternoons — a wind event, not a hatch

adultwarm, breezy afternoons, roughly 1–5pm — slap the imitation down hard — the splat is the trigger — then wait; count to three after the rise before setting

Work the windward bank on breezy summer afternoons — that's where the food is. Casting-bubble-and-hopper is the direct translation; otherwise run small topwaters and inline spinners tight along the grass edges and blowdown banks in the afternoon warmth.

The event happens over windward grassy banks, overhanging brush and blowdowns — wherever the breeze dumps the bugs

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · same push on the Ontario side — Simcoe's shiners migrate shallow as the water cools, and the predators ride with them

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyMay 25 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

June mayfly hatch (walleye lakes) · mayflyJun 1 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are generated from real agency depth surveys; use the survey badge for the provider, dataset, datum and measured coverage. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Turtle L.

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Turtle L. on the board.

Fishing Turtle L.: what the data says

25-acre lake in Muskoka District Municipality, Ontario. The lake tops out around 7 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 1975, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

Traced from the shoreline, Turtle L. runs 25 acres with 1.1 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.6) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. End to end it runs roughly 0.4 mi. You'll find it in Muskoka District Municipality. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Little Clear L., 0 mi southeast of here.

Yellow Perch fishing at Turtle L.

When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 2 to 7 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 7 ft, winter 2 to 7 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. 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	2 to 7 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	2 to 7 ft	dawn	Deep basin (5 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	2 to 7 ft	midday	Deep basin (5 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	2 to 7 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (5 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Turtle L.

The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 2 to 7 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 7 ft through summer, 2 to 7 ft in winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 7 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (2 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	2 to 7 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (5 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	2 to 7 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (2 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	2 to 7 ft	midday	Break off the point (5 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Brown Bullhead fishing at Turtle L.

Spring puts brown bullhead in skinny water — 2 to 7 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for winter brown bullhead. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 7 ft	dusk & night	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)
Summer	2 to 7 ft	night & dusk	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)
Fall	2 to 7 ft	dusk	Deep basin (5 ft)
Winter	2 to 7 ft	midday	Deep basin (5 ft)

Notable structure

The chart marks 5 structure features on Turtle L.; the deepest is Deep basin at about 5 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 5 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 5 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft

Turtle L. fishing regulations

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 Turtle L. specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Turtle L.?

Turtle L. is about 7 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1975, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).

What fish are in Turtle L.?

Anglers target yellow perch, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead on Turtle L..

Where is the best fishing spot on Turtle L.?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Turtle L.?

For yellow perch, 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Turtle L.?

Fishing on Turtle L. 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.

Nearby waters

Little Clear L. 0 mi · Eastell Lake 1 mi · Solitaire Lake 1 mi · Split Rock Lake 1 mi · Buck Lake 1 mi · Loon Lake 2 mi · Hardup Lake 2 mi · Rebecca Lake 2 mi · Upper Oxbow Lake 2 mi · Crotch Lake 2 mi · Pell Lake 3 mi · Benson Lake 3 mi

See how Turtle L. stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brown bullhead lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Muskoka District Municipality fishing maps (276 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or 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.