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55-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 15 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 1970, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey). Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 55 acres of water rimmed by 2.6 miles of bank. An index of 2.5 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. End to end it runs roughly 0.9 mi, about 0.3 mi across. You'll find it in Nipissing District. For a second option, Whitney Lake lies 0 mi northwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. The depth story barely changes: 5 to 15 ft through summer, 2 to 15 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 5 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 15 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 5 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| 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 | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for pumpkinseed tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 1 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 5 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| 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 | Deep basin (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) |
The chart marks 6 structure features on West Smith Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 5 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 West Smith Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
West Smith Lake is about 15 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1970, a decades-old survey (an MNRF lake survey).
Anglers target brook trout, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on West Smith Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on West Smith 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.
Whitney Lake 0 mi · Bud Lake 1 mi · Little McCauley Lake 2 mi · Brewer Lake 2 mi · Pinetree Lake 2 mi · Clarke Lake 3 mi · Costello Lake 3 mi · Airy Lake 3 mi · Amikeus Lake 3 mi · Fork Lake 4 mi · Raja Lake 4 mi · Fraser Lake 4 mi
See how West Smith Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario · best pumpkinseed lakes in Ontario · best brown bullhead lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 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.