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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,511-acre lake in Cochrane District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth chart comes from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1966, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Hillmer Lake draws 1,518 acres inside 9.1 miles of shoreline, broken up by an island. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.7) — enough points and pockets to pattern. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 79% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 2.5 mi with a 1.7-mi widest point. You'll find it in Cochrane District. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Sweet Lake, 7 mi west of here.
These fish are listed in an exact-water agency record as forage or ecological context. They are not target-species profiles and do not affect DepthScout's Prime, Good, or Fair spot ratings.
Official Ontario MNRF Fish ON-Line record. The listing documents source-recorded presence, not present abundance or guaranteed catchability.
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Hillmer Lake hold shallow, usually 8 to 30 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 9 to 30 ft in summer, 9 to 30 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 30 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 8 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 9 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 10 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for lake sturgeon tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 9 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 30 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & night | open water | |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Deep basin (30 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) |
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 30 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 Hillmer Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Hillmer Lake is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1966, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, lake sturgeon on Hillmer Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For cisco (lake herring), 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 Hillmer 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.
Sweet Lake 7 mi · McLeister Lake 8 mi · Wanzatika Lake 9 mi · Fleck Lake 5 11 mi · Waxatike Lake 15 mi · St. Amand Lake 16 mi · Allan Lake 18 mi · Raft Lake 18 mi · Zadi Lake 18 mi · Mulvey Lake 18 mi · Eleanor Lake 20 mi · West Neely Lake 20 mi
See how Hillmer Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best cisco (lake herring) lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Cochrane District fishing maps (673 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.