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101-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 42 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Hilliard Lake runs 104 acres with 3.9 miles of edge, with a single island in the mix. The 2.7 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 40% of this chart, as modeled. Call it 1 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Nipissing District. The nearest mapped water is Delano Lake, 0 mi to the southeast.
Spring puts lake trout in skinny water — 10 to 40 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 13 to 42 ft, wintering in 11 to 42 ft. Summer lake trout concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 36 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 13 to 42 ft | dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 8 to 42 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 11 to 42 ft | dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
In spring, splake run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 13 to 42 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 42 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 19 ft, rated prime for summer splake. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 13 to 42 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 9 to 42 ft | dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (36 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (36 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 36 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Hilliard Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Hilliard Lake is about 42 ft (13 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 lake trout, splake, yellow perch on Hilliard Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Hilliard 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.
Delano Lake 0 mi · Tanamakoon Lake 2 mi · Little Island Lake 2 mi · Cache Lake 2 mi · Kenneth Lake 2 mi · Head Lake 2 mi · Found Lake 3 mi · Grape Lake 3 mi · Peck Lake 3 mi · Grant Lake 3 mi · Phipps Lake 3 mi · Cradle Lake 3 mi
See how Hilliard Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario · best splake lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Nipissing District fishing maps (683 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.