Hardwood Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (Renfrew County, ON)

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Lake depth chart

Hardwood Lake, ON

Max 54 ft

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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

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 Hardwood Lake

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

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Hardwood Lake on the board.

Fishing Hardwood Lake: what the data says

87-acre lake in Renfrew County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 54 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:

Hardwood Lake maps at 86 acres behind 3 miles of shoreline — one island included. A development index of 2.3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 38% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 0.9 mi, about 0.3 mi across. Renfrew County claims this one. Genricks Lake sits 1 mi north — the closest neighbouring chart.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Hardwood 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 20 to 45 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 14 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 (14 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (24 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (14 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Break off the point (24 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Notable structure

Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 46 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 46 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 24 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 14 ft
Secondary point: point, around 14 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft

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

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Hardwood Lake?

Hardwood Lake is about 54 ft (16 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 Hardwood Lake?

Anglers target smallmouth bass on Hardwood Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Hardwood Lake?

Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 14 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 Hardwood Lake?

For smallmouth bass, 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 Hardwood Lake?

Fishing on Hardwood 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

Genricks Lake 1 mi · Stringers Lake 2 mi · Shanty Lake 2 mi · Beeches Lake 3 mi · Spring Lake 3 mi · Leidtke Lake 3 mi · Moccasin Lake 3 mi · Trout Lake 4 mi · Lower Leidtke Lake 4 mi · Marquardt Lake 5 mi · Turtle Lake 5 mi · Crystal Lake 6 mi

See how Hardwood Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario

More water nearby: Renfrew County fishing maps (298 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.