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3,914-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 87 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 3,918 acres wrapped in 62.3 miles of bank, broken up by 6 islands. With a shoreline index of 7.1, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 75% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. The basin spans about 11.5 mi end to end and 2.9 mi across at its widest. Thunder Bay District claims this one. Princess Lake sits 4 mi west — the closest neighbouring chart.
In spring, cisco (lake herring) run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 40 to 80 ft before dropping to 20 to 60 ft for winter. Summer cisco (lake herring) concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 74 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (39 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (74 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (39 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 15 to 35 ft, wintering in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 39 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (27 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (39 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (39 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Time it for early morning. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (27 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (27 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| 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 |
In spring, rock bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 20 ft before dropping to 12 to 30 ft for winter. Spring rock bass concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 5 ft. Fish it in the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Rock reef (5 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Main-lake point (22 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Sharp break (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Spring burbot on Vista L. hold shallow, usually 25 to 70 ft. They move out to 26 to 87 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 60 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 74 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run after dark and midday. The summer box starts with a heavy jig + cut bait.
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 (74 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 26 to 87 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (74 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (74 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Rock reef (5 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
13 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 74 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Vista L. specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Vista L. is about 87 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 cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass, burbot on Vista L..
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 74 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 Vista 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.
Princess Lake 4 mi · Quest L. 5 mi · Vanessa L. 9 mi · Post Lake 10 mi · Couture L. 10 mi · Barge Lake 10 mi · Glitter L. 12 mi · Six Mile Lake 13 mi · Sturgeon Lake 13 mi · Fourbay Lake 15 mi · Rude Lake 15 mi · Eady Lake 15 mi
See how Vista L. stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best burbot lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 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.