Satellite Depth Map
Click the map to enlarge. White Lake is shallow almost everywhere — most of it is under 6 m (20 ft), with only a narrow central channel and a few holes reaching about 9 m (30 ft). That broad, weedy, shallow structure is exactly why the bass and pike fishing is so good. The public boat launch at White Lake village is marked at the north end.
Depth shown in metres and feet (see on-map legend). Bathymetry: Ontario MNRF (Bathymetry, Line). Shoreline: OpenStreetMap. Satellite: Esri World Imagery.
About White Lake
White Lake sits on the boundary between Renfrew and Lanark Counties, in the Township of McNab/Braeside, about an hour's drive (≈ 60 km) west of Ottawa — near Arnprior to the north and Calabogie to the west. It's a large but shallow, mesotrophic lake: roughly 22.7 km² (about 5,600 acres), some 16 km long, with about 98 km of shoreline winding around long bays, coves and islands. Despite all that water it averages only about 3 m (10 ft) deep and bottoms out near 9 m (30 ft).
The name comes from the Algonquin Wàbà Sàgàïgàn — a reference to the white marl once visible along the shore, before a dam built in 1845 raised the water and submerged it. The level is still controlled by a dam on Waba Creek at the north end, and the lake drains into the Mississippi River system.
White Lake is best known as a warm-water fishery. Largemouth bass are the headline species — the lake hosts bass tournaments — alongside smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye (caught only periodically), and plenty of yellow perch, rock bass, pumpkinseed, bluegill and brown bullhead. Muskellunge were stocked here starting in 1968, though they're rarely caught today. With this many bays, weedbeds and islands, a depth map really helps you find the structure.
- RegionOttawa Valley (FMZ 18)
- TownshipMcNab/Braeside, ON (Renfrew/Lanark)
- From Ottawa~1 h drive (~60 km)
- Size22.7 km² · ~16 km long
- Shoreline~98 km, bays & islands
- Avg / max depth~3 m / ~9 m (10 / 30 ft)
- Boat launchesWaba Cottage (north) & Wabalac Side Rd (south)
- Fish speciesBass, pike, walleye, perch, panfish
- OutflowWaba Creek dam → Mississippi River
Fishing Regulations
Ontario Fisheries Management Zone 18 · Source: Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary — FMZ 18. Seasons and limits change — always confirm the current FMZ 18 rules before you fish.
⚠️ Don't confuse the two "White Lakes." The FMZ 18 summary lists a White Lake in Olden Township (Frontenac County) that is closed to fishing all year. That is a different lake — not this White Lake near Arnprior, which follows the zone-wide FMZ 18 seasons and limits below. Always check the current summary for any waterbody-specific exception before you fish.
| Species | Open Season (FMZ 18) | Sport Limit | Conservation Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass | 3rd Sat. June – Dec 15 | 6 | 2 | Combined limit for both species. Bass are the lake's main draw. |
| Northern Pike | Jan 1 – Mar 31 & 2nd Sat. May – Dec 31 | 6 | 2 | |
| Walleye & Sauger | Jan 1 – Mar 1 & 2nd Sat. May – Dec 31 | 4 | 2 | Size limit: kept fish must be between 40–50 cm (per the FMZ 18 summary). Walleye are caught only occasionally here. |
| Yellow Perch | Open all year | 50 | 25 | |
| Black Crappie | Open all year | 30 | 10 |
Limits are daily catch & possession. Sport = Sport fishing licence. Conservation = Conservation licence. · Bait rule: FMZ 18 is in the Southern Bait Management Zone — live or dead baitfish and leeches cannot be transported into or out of the zone. Only preserved (dead) bait may cross zone boundaries. Confirm all seasons, limits and size rules in the current FMZ 18 summary before keeping fish.
The Village & Conservation
Where to launch, the Waba Cottage Museum, and looking after a shallow lake.
The hamlet of White Lake sits at the lake's north end. The main public access is the boat launch at the Waba Cottage Museum & Gardens, an 8-acre lakefront site with picnic tables, washrooms and trailer parking beside the ramp. The launch itself is on federal land, but the parking is municipal — there's a launch/parking fee, and the Township of McNab/Braeside sells a season pass that also covers Headpond, Burnstown and the Braeside ramp on the Ottawa River. White Lake Marina is also in the village.
There's a second public boat launch on the south shore, off Wabalac Side Road (≈ 45.2526, −76.5975) — a gravel ramp that's the handier put-in if you're fishing the lake's southern bays and the Calabogie end.
The museum is a reconstruction of the stone cottage of Archibald McNab, the last Chief of Clan McNab to settle here; the rebuilt Waba Cottage opened on June 26, 1968 and the gardens and grounds are a pleasant stop before or after a day on the water. In recent years a self-serve Kayakomat kayak/paddleboard rental has been added at the site — White Lake's calm, shallow water makes it a good paddling lake too.
Because it's so shallow, White Lake warms quickly and is sensitive to nutrients and shoreline development. A 188-hectare conservation reserve protects part of the shore, and the community White Lake Preservation Project monitors water quality and the fishery. Trim your motor in the shallow bays, watch for rock and weed, and pack out what you bring in to keep the lake healthy.
Trip Tips
🎣 Fish the weed edges
Largemouth bass and pike live in the lake's endless weedbeds, lily pads, docks and bay mouths. Work soft plastics and spinnerbaits along the weed lines, and the deeper edges where the flats drop toward the central channel.
🗺️ Use the map — it's shallow
Most of White Lake is under 6 m (20 ft). The few deeper holes and the central channel concentrate fish in summer. Keep the depth map handy and idle carefully across the broad shallow flats.
🚤 Two public launches
The main ramp is at the Waba Cottage Museum & Gardens in White Lake village (north end), with parking above the ramp — bring a launch/parking fee or a Township season pass. A second public ramp on Wabalac Side Road (≈ 45.2526, −76.5975) is closer to the southern bays.
🌅 Go early for bass
On a warm, shallow lake the topwater bite at dawn and dusk can be excellent. Calm mornings over the weed flats are prime for largemouth before boat traffic picks up.
Getting There
From Ottawa, take Highway 417 west to Arnprior, then follow White Lake Road (Renfrew County Road 2) southwest to the village of White Lake at the north end of the lake. The public boat launch is at the Waba Cottage Museum & Gardens (≈ 45.361, −76.505), with trailer parking beside the ramp. A launch/parking fee or Township season pass applies. Coming from the west, White Lake is a short drive from Calabogie — and the south-shore launch on Wabalac Side Road (≈ 45.2526, −76.5975) is the closer put-in from that side.