Read the Lake

Study the depth chart and today's conditions, then answer one question per fish: where would you fish for it? Hover over the chart to sound the bottom, or tap to drop a pin and read what is under it.

Loading lake
Depth contour (m) Weed bed Reeds Rock and boulders Shoal near surface Creek or river

Lakes are generated, not real. Fish locations follow widely accepted seasonal patterns for Ontario lakes, but fish do not always read the textbook. Open seasons, limits and sanctuaries vary by Fisheries Management Zone, so check the Ontario fishing regulations before you head out.

Lakes are generated, not real. Fish locations follow widely accepted seasonal patterns for Ontario lakes, but fish do not always read the textbook. Open seasons, limits and sanctuaries vary by Fisheries Management Zone, so check the Ontario fishing regulations before you head out.

How to play

Read the Lake

Every round drops you on a lake you have never fished, on a random day of the open-water season. Your job is to read the chart and the conditions, then pick the one spot where you would fish for each species.

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  1. 1

    Check today’s conditions

    The panel beside the chart shows the season and water temperature, time of day, sky, wind, water clarity and the thermocline. They all move fish:

    • Bright sun and clear water push fish deeper and tighter to cover. Cloud, rain, dawn, dusk and a good chop bring them shallower.
    • Wind pushes baitfish onto the downwind shore, and predators follow.
    • In summer, most fish stay above the thermocline. Lake trout are the exception and stay in the cold water below it.
    • The season matters most. Fish spawn, move to summer spots, then feed up for fall.
  2. 2

    Study the chart

    Contour lines and soundings show depth in metres. Look for points, humps, reefs, drop-offs, weed beds and edges, reeds, rock, shoals (+) and creek mouths. Hover over the chart, or tap it on a phone, to sound the bottom and read the depth, bottom type and structure under you.

    Use the + and − buttons in the corner of the chart to zoom in for a closer look, then drag to move around. You can also pinch on a phone or tablet, or hold Ctrl and scroll with a mouse. The corner-arrows button shows the whole lake again.

  3. 3

    Answer one question per fish

    The bar above the chart asks “Where would you fish for walleye?” Tap the chart to drop your pin, and the game moves to the next fish. Drag any pin to fine-tune it. The depth readout follows the pin’s tip as you drag. You can skip a fish and come back, or tap any fish to move its pin. On a keyboard, use the arrow keys and press Enter, and the + and − keys to zoom.

  4. 4

    Score your spots

    When your pins are down, press Score my spots. The results show where each fish was holding, with a glow on the chart and a star on the best water, and explain why they were there.

The rules

  • One pin per fish. Pins go on open water, not land.
  • Each fish is worth 100 points. Your pin scores the best water within a short cast of it, so the closer you are to where the fish are holding, the higher the score.
  • A skipped fish scores 0.
  • Lake trout only live in lakes deep enough to stay cold all summer, 18 m or more. Shallower lakes have six fish instead of seven, so a round is out of 600 or 700.
  • Once you score, pins are locked. Press Try this lake again to start that lake over.

Lodge legend 86% and up · Seasoned guide 70% · Local regular 50% · Weekend angler 30% · Skunked below that

Lake codes

Every lake has a six-character code, shown in the Lake code box at the top. A code always brings back the exact same lake: the same shape and depths, the same season, wind and sky, and the fish in the same spots.

  • Replay a lake. Write down the code, then type it in and press Load to try for a better score.
  • Challenge a friend. Send them your code and compare scores on the same water.
  • New lake or Fish a new lake rolls a fresh random lake with a new code.

Codes use letters and numbers, like 4K2Q7X. Capitals don’t matter.

Lakes are generated, not real. Fish locations follow widely accepted seasonal patterns for Ontario lakes, but fish do not always read the textbook. Open seasons, limits and sanctuaries vary by Fisheries Management Zone, so check the Ontario fishing regulations before you head out.