Charcoal Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Haliburton County, ON)

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Lake depth chart

Charcoal Lake, ON

Max 33 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Hopper & ant season (windward banks) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Hopper & ant season (windward banks)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 15 · hoppers peak July–August; winged-ant falls show up on warm humid afternoons — a wind event, not a hatch

adultwarm, breezy afternoons, roughly 1–5pm — slap the imitation down hard — the splat is the trigger — then wait; count to three after the rise before setting

Work the windward bank on breezy summer afternoons — that's where the food is. Casting-bubble-and-hopper is the direct translation; otherwise run small topwaters and inline spinners tight along the grass edges and blowdown banks in the afternoon warmth.

The event happens over windward grassy banks, overhanging brush and blowdowns — wherever the breeze dumps the bugs

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · same push on the Ontario side — Simcoe's shiners migrate shallow as the water cools, and the predators ride with them

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

Spring bug season (brook trout lakes) · forageApr 25 – Jun 30 · in ~8 months

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyMay 25 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

June mayfly hatch (walleye lakes) · mayflyJun 1 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Charcoal Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

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Fishing Charcoal Lake: what the data says

41-acre lake in Haliburton County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 33 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

Charcoal Lake maps at 41 acres behind 1.2 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.3 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 51% of this chart, as modeled. Call it 0.4 mi long by 0.3 mi wide at the broadest reach. Haliburton County claims this one. If the bite dies, Otter Lake is 1 mi to the northeast.

Brook Trout fishing at Charcoal Lake

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 Deep basin: a deep basin around 28 ft that scores prime in summer. 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	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Deep basin (28 ft)	Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm
Fall	2 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small spoon (orange), Spinner
Winter	3 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (15 ft)	Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Charcoal Lake

Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 33 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (15 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	10 to 33 ft	midday	Break off the point (15 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Brown Bullhead fishing at Charcoal Lake

Early season brown bullhead use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 3 to 12 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 4 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dusk & night	Shallow bay flat (4 ft)
Summer	3 to 12 ft	night & dusk	Shallow bay flat (4 ft)
Fall	5 to 15 ft	dusk	Shallow bay flat (4 ft)
Winter	10 to 25 ft	midday	Deep basin (28 ft)

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 5 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 28 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 28 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 15 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft

Charcoal Lake fishing regulations

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 Charcoal Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Charcoal Lake?

Charcoal Lake is about 33 ft (10 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.

What fish are in Charcoal Lake?

Anglers target brook trout, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead on Charcoal Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Charcoal Lake?

Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Charcoal Lake?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for Charcoal Lake?

Fishing on Charcoal 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.

Nearby waters

Otter Lake 1 mi · Campcot Lake 2 mi · Gosling Lake 2 mi · Sunken Lake 3 mi · Harvey Lake 3 mi · Wolfkin Lake 3 mi · Clinto Lake 4 mi · Cod Lake 4 mi · Longline Lake 4 mi · Deer Lake 4 mi · Paint Lake 4 mi · Roundabout Lake 4 mi

See how Charcoal Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario · best brown bullhead lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Haliburton County fishing maps (295 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or 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.