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32-acre lake in Cochrane District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 80 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
The drawn water covers 31 acres wrapped in 1.5 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (2) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. 44% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.7 mi. Cochrane District claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Canvasback Lake, is 1 mi to the north.
Come spring, look for brook trout tight to the bank in 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores good in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (36 ft) | 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 (6 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Early season splake use the shallows, holding in 5 to 25 ft. Summer is a 25 to 60 ft game here, winter a 10 to 45 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 36 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (36 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (20 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 10 to 45 ft | dawn | Break off the point (36 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
In spring, cisco (lake herring) run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 40 to 80 ft before dropping to 20 to 60 ft for winter. Summer cisco (lake herring) concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 68 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (36 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (68 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (68 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
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 | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (36 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (36 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 68 ft.
Access data: Geospatial Ontario - Fishing Access Points; Government of Ontario - MNR Unpatented Crown Land Shoreline; Government of Ontario - MNR Unpatented Crown Land Shoreline. 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 Cardinal Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Cardinal Lake is about 80 ft (24 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 brook trout, splake, cisco (lake herring), yellow perch on Cardinal Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for splake in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Cardinal 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.
Canvasback Lake 1 mi · Redhead Lake 1 mi · Pintail Lake 1 mi · Bittern Lake 1 mi · Scaup Lake 1 mi · Widgeon Lake 2 mi · Robin Lake 2 mi · Blue Goose Lake 2 mi · Heron Lake 2 mi · Eagle Lake 2 mi · Grebe Lake 3 mi · Kingfisher Lake 3 mi
See how Cardinal Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Ontario · best splake lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Cochrane District fishing maps (673 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.