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26,794-acre lake in Cochrane District, Ontario. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1971, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
The outline encloses 26,914 acres, worked by 122 miles of shoreline, broken up by 123 islands. The 5.3 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. End to end it runs roughly 17.3 mi, about 6.3 mi across. It sits in Cochrane District. Its nearest charted neighbour, McCoshen Lake, is 8 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: cisco (lake herring) in 4 to 15 ft. The depth story barely changes: 5 to 15 ft through summer, 5 to 15 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 10 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Gravel shoal (4 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 5 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 15 ft. Gravel shoal is the standout, a gravel shoal at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Gravel shoal (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (6 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (6 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, sauger run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 15 ft, and they winter in 5 to 15 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for winter sauger. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a bottom bouncer + crawler or a 3-way rig with stickbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Gravel shoal (4 ft) | 3/8 oz jig + ringworm, Hair jig + minnow |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (6 ft) | Bottom bouncer + crawler, 3-way rig with stickbait |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (6 ft) | Jig + big minnow, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Deep basin (10 ft) | Heavy jigging spoon, Jig + minnow (vertical) |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow flat, a weed flat in the 5 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 flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (10 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for northern pike tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 5 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Weed flat: a weed flat around 2 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 | Weed flat (2 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow flat (5 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
12 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 10 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 Night Hawk Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Night Hawk Lake is about 15 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Ontario MNRF survey of 1971, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey).
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike on Night Hawk Lake.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
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 Night Hawk 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.
McCoshen Lake 8 mi · Three Nations Lake 8 mi · Bob's Lake 8 mi · Round Lake 9 mi · Roundelay Lake 9 mi · Long Lake 9 mi · Gibson Lake 9 mi · Centre Triple Lake 9 mi · Little Club Lake 9 mi · Aquarius L. 9 mi · Heart Lake 9 mi · Fogg Lake 10 mi
See how Night Hawk Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Ontario · best sauger lakes in Ontario · best northern pike lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Cochrane District fishing maps (673 charts). Browse all Ontario fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.