Hornet Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (ON)

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Lake depth chart

Hornet Lake, ON

Max 76 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 Hornet 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 Hornet Lake on the board.

Fishing Hornet Lake: what the data says

53-acre lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 76 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

The outline encloses 53 acres, worked by 2.9 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 2.8, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 49% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 0.8 mi end to end and 0.3 mi across at its widest. It sits in Nipissing District. If the bite dies, Gravel Pit Pond is 1 mi to the southwest.

Yellow Perch fishing at Hornet Lake

Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.

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	Break off the point (34 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	12 to 35 ft	midday	Break off the point (34 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday & dawn	Break off the point (34 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Northern Pike fishing at Hornet Lake

Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	#5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white)
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait
Winter	5 to 15 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Hornet Lake

Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 19 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	10 to 30 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (19 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	8 to 25 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (19 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Break off the point (34 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rock Bass fishing at Hornet Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: rock bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 20 ft, wintering in 12 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 19 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for the evening. Summer baits: a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	open water	1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner
Summer	5 to 20 ft	dusk	Main-lake point (19 ft)	Ned rig (small), Marabou jig
Fall	8 to 22 ft	midday	Main-lake point (19 ft)	Small tube jig, Inline spinner
Winter	12 to 30 ft	midday	Break off the point (34 ft)	Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike

Pumpkinseed fishing at Hornet Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: pumpkinseed in 1 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 10 ft, wintering in 6 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 8 ft	midday & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin
Summer	2 to 10 ft	dusk & dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly)
Fall	4 to 14 ft	dusk & dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	6 to 18 ft	dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 65 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 65 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 34 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 19 ft
Secondary point: point, around 19 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft

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

Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Hornet Lake?

Hornet Lake is about 76 ft (23 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 Hornet Lake?

Anglers target yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, pumpkinseed on Hornet Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Hornet Lake?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.

When is the best time to fish Hornet Lake?

For yellow perch, 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Hornet Lake?

Fishing on Hornet 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

Gravel Pit Pond 1 mi · Christy Lake 2 mi · North Milne Lake 2 mi · Pig Lake 2 mi · Ingall Lake 3 mi · Reuben Lake 3 mi · Waha Lake 3 mi · Lower Twin Lake 3 mi · Wilson Lake 3 mi · Law L. 23 3 mi · Angus Lake 3 mi · Brophy Lake 3 mi

See how Hornet Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best rock bass 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.