Lake in Ontario

[Bill]

Here is a lake in Ontario noted for large muskie, as well as walleye, pike and smallmouth. The minimum keepable size muskie is 48 inches!
It has a reputation as a difficult lake. When I looked at the map again I recalled what Buck wrote about looking for deep structure when a lake is drawn down, and doesn't have shallow structure. This lake to me doesn't have any structure shallower than 25 ft, map mistakes (and there are some) aside. I wonder if this lake increased depth due to seismic events or something in comparatively recent times ? This lake is stream and spring fed and of course doesn't draw down.

I have seen a muskie in this lake that could have been 5ft long, followed a spinner alongside the boat. Weed growth is cabbage, approximately from 5 to 9 feet. The "Sunken island " spot has a small clump of weed in 3 ft with an occasional muskie hiding it's head in it.
The island to the west of the sunken island has a 9 ft saddle to the shore.
Lots of small pike, there are some nice walleye caught in winter. Bass are few.
I've included the lake survey results for species etc.
I uploaded the main part of the lake as I don't know how to include the other pics.

[Bink]

You say there is no structure shallower then 25' but then say there is a sunken island at 3'????

[Fran Myers]

Look a little closer, there is a lot to look at shallower than 25'. Before I answer too much more take some time, reread the definition of what structure is then look at the map again.

[Steve Craig]

Bill,
Thanks for posting the map and welcome to the site.

One of the things a structure must do is to go all the way from the deep to the swallows, to be considered a potential structure.
If they dont, then the fish will not use them.
For example.....in Maple Cove on the west side of that 45 foot hole, there are 2 nice looking bars that need "checked out". Both appear to go all the way from deep to shallows.
That 5 foot hump just south of the big Island appears to go "all the way" as well.
I will let others comment here as well.
A structure will have both deep areas and shallow areas.
Now maybe you actually meant to mean deep breaklines and deep breaks.......on structure?

[Bill]

I've just posted this as a discussion of how to crack a difficult lake, I haven't fished it in years and won't again for a while.

The big sunken island seems to be dominated by muskie, even online forums don't mention catching anything else there.

Ontario fishing contest listed 50 pound muskie caught in 1980 or 81.

I've attached the map of the west end of the lake.

[Bill]

And the east end. Outflow at top.

[Bill]

The lake map information.

[Bink]

Bill
Thanks for posting but to truly explain how to crack this lake(very basic) you need to explain your comment on no shallow structure. We all agree that they would catch Muskie on the sunken island it is STRUCTURE!!!

[Bill]

Steve, thanks for the thoughts. I believe it's considered a difficult lake because of course most people fish shallow or shorelines. This lake has a light brown color but is semi-clear to clear, (see the secchi disk 10' ! on the map info) added the file today. That 5 ft hump is locally known as the sunken island of course and is well known for muskie, they're often seen there. Nobody fishes from there deeper toward the 40' depth south of it, just the top.

[Bill]

Bink, thanks for commenting.
I meant that the good structures are pretty few, I guess, and the average fisherman would never stumble upon them. The west end of the lake , the second map seems to have a lot more possibilities, most of the fish I caught were in the obvious areas there.

[John Bales]

Just posted a long note on this good looking lake with my thoughts and my internet got interrupted and lost it. It's been that kind of day. You all have a great day!!!!!!! John

[Steve Craig]

John,
Got tired of that happening and now I type all long posts on Word and then just copy and paste it here. No more lost posts that way.

[John Bales]

Not the first time I lost a long post. The longer they are, the madder I get when it happens. I am just not good enough on the computer to do some things or just don't have the patience to learn. Stubborn I guess. John

[Kevin McClure]

John, I had that happen before, too. What I do, just before I hit submit, is highlight the text, right click and select copy. If the post doesn't go through then I can paste it in a new post. Just a thought. Kevin

[Bill]

Looking forward to what John Bales has to say.

to reiterate, I am not looking for someone to crack this for me, I live 2000 miles away and won't be fishing it anytime soon.