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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
64,224-acre lake in Kenora District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 54 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 64,303 acres, worked by 636.8 miles of shoreline, with 110 islands in the mix. A development index of 17.9 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 88% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 25.2 mi, about 14.1 mi across. Kenora District claims this one. If the bite dies, Plant Lake is 14 mi to the east.
In spring, lake whitefish run shallow here, mostly 15 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 16 to 54 ft before dropping to 16 to 54 ft for winter. Summer lake whitefish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 46 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon most summer days.
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 | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (25 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 16 to 54 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (11 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 16 to 54 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
In spring, cisco (lake herring) run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 16 to 54 ft before dropping to 16 to 54 ft for winter. Summer cisco (lake herring) concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 46 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.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 16 to 54 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (11 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 16 to 54 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (46 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: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 25 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 (11 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (25 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: sauger in 4 to 18 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 15 to 45 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 46 ft of water that rates prime for sauger in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (11 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (25 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Deep basin (46 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
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 (25 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (25 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 |
Winisk Lake also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), burbot (16 to 54 ft in summer), lake sturgeon (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 18 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 46 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 Winisk Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Winisk Lake is about 54 ft (16 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 lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, burbot, lake sturgeon on Winisk Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 46 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For lake whitefish, 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 Winisk 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.
Plant Lake 14 mi · Wapikopa Lake 29 mi · McPhail Lake 33 mi · Winisk Lake 33 mi · Mameigwess Lake 35 mi · Bradden Lake 38 mi · Justice Lake 47 mi · Reeb Lake 51 mi · Nibinamik Lake 53 mi · Windsor Lake 54 mi · McFaulds Lake 58 mi · Kabania Lake 67 mi
See how Winisk Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best walleye lakes in Ontario · best sauger lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Kenora District fishing maps (1173 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.