Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
942-acre lake in Haliburton County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 170 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1983 (a transect sounding survey). What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The outline encloses 946 acres, worked by 20.8 miles of shoreline, broken up by 9 islands. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 20% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 2.7 mi end to end and 2 mi across at its widest. It sits in Haliburton County. If the bite dies, Little Hawk Lake is 2 mi to the southeast.
Spring brook trout on Big Hawk Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 10 ft, good for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Come spring, look for lake trout tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 50 to 120 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 80 ft. Start at Secondary point. It's a point holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (30 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Break off the point (129 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (30 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (169 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake whitefish in 15 to 45 ft. As the season builds they drop to 40 to 90 ft, wintering in 25 to 70 ft. Top water on the chart: Feeding flat, a feeding flat in the 41 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (41 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Feeding flat (41 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Secondary point (30 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (41 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 10 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (169 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Feeding flat (23 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Secondary point: a point around 30 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (30 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (30 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (129 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rock bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 20 ft, wintering in 12 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Dock / pier line, a dock line in the 1 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for the evening. Summer baits: a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Dock / pier line (1 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (129 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (169 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Big Hawk Lake also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 169 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 Big Hawk Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Big Hawk Lake is about 170 ft (52 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1983 (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rock bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, burbot on Big Hawk Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Big Hawk 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.
Little Hawk Lake 2 mi · Nunikani Lake 2 mi · Big Brother Lake 2 mi · Blackcat Lake 2 mi · Sherborne Lake 3 mi · Silver Buck Lake 3 mi · Saskatchewan Lake 3 mi · Red Pine Lake 3 mi · Partridge Lake 3 mi · Shoelace Lake 3 mi · Halls Lake 4 mi · Glennie Lake 4 mi
See how Big Hawk Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Haliburton County fishing maps (295 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.