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15,016-acre lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 150 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1972, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 15,084 acres of water rimmed by 117.5 miles of bank, with 41 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 6.8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 48% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. End to end it runs roughly 16.2 mi, about 7.1 mi across. You'll find it in Thunder Bay District. The nearest mapped water is Deer Lake, 3 mi to the south.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. Summer lake trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 123 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (24 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (123 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (28 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring lake whitefish on White Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 40 to 90 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (28 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Sharp break (37 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (28 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on White Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 40 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 60 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (28 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Sharp break (37 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Break off the point (28 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 28 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (28 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (28 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (28 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 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 | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (28 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (28 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (28 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Weed flat (7 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Weed flat (7 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
White Lake also holds burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
16 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 123 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Land Information Ontario — Fishing Access Point. 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 White Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
White Lake is about 150 ft (46 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1972, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot on White Lake.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 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.
Deer Lake 3 mi · Dunc Lake 4 mi · Clearwater Lake 6 mi · Fearless Lake 10 mi · McGill Lake 13 mi · Kwinkwaga Lake 14 mi · Raven Lake 19 mi · Gowan Lake 19 mi · North McCrea Lake 26 mi · Dayohessarah Lake 27 mi · Matthews Lake 27 mi · Pokei Lake 29 mi
See how White Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Thunder Bay District fishing maps (662 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.