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258-acre lake in Haliburton County, Ontario. The lake tops out around 50 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 1971, a decades-old survey (a transect sounding survey). Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The drawn water covers 260 acres wrapped in 8.6 miles of bank — 3 islands included. An index of 3.8 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. 77% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 1.9 mi, about 0.9 mi across. Haliburton County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Bivouac Lake, is 1 mi to the southeast.
Spring brook trout on Wildcat Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 10 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Come spring, look for lake trout tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 15 to 50 ft in summer and finish the year down in 13 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 42 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
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 | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 15 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Deep basin (42 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (7 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 13 to 50 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (42 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Back-bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. 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 | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (42 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 45 ft. Start at Secondary point. It's a point holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in 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 | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (7 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (42 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: pumpkinseed in 1 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 2 to 10 ft before dropping to 6 to 18 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in spring. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. 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 (2 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, brown bullhead slide up into 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 3 to 12 ft game here, winter a 10 to 25 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 42 ft.
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 Wildcat Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ontario fishing regulations →
Wildcat Lake is about 50 ft (15 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 brook trout, lake trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Wildcat Lake. This isn't a survey of the lake — none is on record for it — but an informed estimate from the species Ontario's MNRF recorded in the nearest surveyed lakes, filtered to this lake's depth and habitat.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 42 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook trout, 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.
Fishing on Wildcat 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.
Bivouac Lake 1 mi · South Wildcat Lake 2 mi · Nugget Lake 3 mi · Depot Lake 3 mi · Raddan Lake 3 mi · Rockaway Lake 5 mi · West Galipo Lake 5 mi · Frost Lake 5 mi · Rainbow Lake 5 mi · Havelock Lake 5 mi · Upper Redstone Lake 5 mi · South Galipo Lake 5 mi
See how Wildcat Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Ontario · best yellow perch lakes in Ontario · best lake trout lakes in Ontario · best brook trout lakes in Ontario
More water nearby: Haliburton County fishing maps (295 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.