Lake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
419-acre lake in Peterborough County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 30 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 1976, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The outline encloses 421 acres, worked by 11.6 miles of shoreline, with 16 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 65% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 1.7 mi end to end and 1 mi across at its widest. Peterborough County claims this one. If the bite dies, Nogies Lake is 1 mi to the southeast.
These fish are listed in an exact-water agency record as forage or ecological context. They are not target-species profiles and do not affect DepthScout's Prime, Good, or Fair spot ratings.
Official Ontario MNRF Fish ON-Line record. The listing documents source-recorded presence, not present abundance or guaranteed catchability.
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
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 | 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 | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, muskellunge slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 25 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) rigged through the warm months.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
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 | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 20 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.
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 | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: pumpkinseed in 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 6 to 18 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in spring. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) gets it done.
| 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 | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 30 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 White Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
White Lake is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1976, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target yellow perch, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed on White Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
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.
Fishing on White 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.
Nogies Lake 1 mi · Salerno Lake 2 mi · Fortescue Lake 2 mi · Salmon Lake 2 mi · Bow Lake 5 mi · Crystal Lake 5 mi · Greens Lake 5 mi · Picard Lake 6 mi · Wiley's Lake 6 mi · Loom Lake 6 mi · Pencil Lake 6 mi · Bark Lake 7 mi
See how White Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ontario · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best muskellunge lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Peterborough County fishing maps (83 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.