Map of Drag Lake with depth contours

Drag Lake

45.0743° N, 78.4108° W

Depth contours from the government survey. Not for navigation.

Download the depth map (SVG)

Drag Lake is 54.9 m deep at its deepest point, deeper than 95% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario. It covers 10.3 km² and lies 2.5 km northeast of Haliburton.

Government surveys have recorded 4 fish species here, including bluegill, rock bass and smallmouth bass.

Maximum depth
54.9 m
deeper than 95% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario
Area
10.3 km²
larger than 95% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
Shoreline
40.2 km
longer than 94% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
Water clarity
5.7 mSecchi depth, 2021
clearer than 87% of the 1,251 monitored lakes in Ontario
Fish species
4
fewer than 51% of the 2,454 surveyed lakes in Ontario
Elevation
351 m

Today on the water

5.5 °C

Wind NW 4 km/h

Observed at Haliburton, as of 4:00 a.m. EDT

choppy Estimated waves, next 12 hours: up to 0.4 m. Around 12 p.m., wind from the northwest: the northwest shore is sheltered, waves build toward the southeast shore.

Hourly forecast, next 24 hours
Time5 a.m.8 a.m.11 a.m.2 p.m.5 p.m.8 p.m.11 p.m.2 a.m.
Wind km/hW 15W 15W 15NW 30NW 30NW 15var. 5var. 5
Gusts km/h5050
Waves (est.) m0.20.20.20.4
Temp. °C3591213830
Precip. %2040402020000

Tonight: Partly cloudy. 60 percent chance of showers this evening. Risk of a thunderstorm early this evening. Wind west 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming light this evening. Low plus 3.

Weather: Haliburton (local forecast), as of 4:02 a.m. EDT

Sun and moon

Civil dawn
6:52 a.m.
Sunrise
7:21 a.m.
Sunset
6:39 p.m.
Civil dusk
7:08 p.m.
Moonrise
6:13 a.m.
Moonset
5:57 p.m.
Moon
Waning crescent, 1% lit

Air Quality Health Index

2 low risk

Dorset, as of 4:00 a.m. EDT

Data Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada. Local times.

How waves are estimated

Significant wave height from the forecast hourly wind and the open-water distance (fetch) upwind, using the SMB method (US Army Corps of Engineers Shore Protection Manual, 1984), rounded up to the next 0.1 m. It is not a measurement: gusts, leftover swell and shoals can make water rougher. Under 0.2 m: calm; 0.2–0.5 m: choppy; over 0.5 m: rough.

Depth

21% of Drag Lake is deeper than 30 m.

How to read it: the lake’s area is sorted from the shore to the deepest point. Where the curve is flat, large areas share one depth (flats and weed beds); where it drops, depth changes quickly (drop-offs).

The government depth survey records a maximum depth of 54.9 m, drawn from 35 depth contours.

Not for navigation. Depths are from government surveys and may be outdated.

Fish

Sport fish by the share of the 1 government surveys (2017–2017) that recorded them.

  • Bluegill1 of 1
  • Rock Bass1 of 1
  • Smallmouth Bass1 of 1
Forage fish and other species (1)
  • Blacknose Shiner 1

Numbers are the surveys that recorded each species.

Eating your catch

The provincial guide to eating fish (2026) sets limits for 6 species from Drag Lake. Maximum meals per month:

SpeciesLengthGeneral populationSensitive population*Contaminant
Lake Trout50-55 cm124Mercury
Rock Bass15-20 cm168Mercury
Smallmouth Bass35-40 cm8Do not eatMercury
Yellow Perch20-25 cm168Mercury
Cisco (Lake Herring)30-35 cm164Mercury, PCB
White Sucker40-45 cm1616Precautionary

* As defined in the guide, including children and people who are or may become pregnant. Limits are for the length the guide lists most often; they change with the size of the fish. Read the official guide

Fishing regulations: Fisheries Management Zone 15. Check seasons and limits before you fish.

Water

Clarity was measured with a Secchi disk in 22 years between 1996 and 2021; the latest annual mean is 5.7 m.

Water clarity (Secchi depth, m)
Total phosphorus (µg/L)

Getting on the water

2 listed boat launches; 2 with parking listed. marks launches on the map.

Southwest shore

Northwest shore

Photos

Drag Lake (Dysart et al, Ontario) 5
Photo: Gogerr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Drag Lake (Dysart et al, Ontario) 12
Photo: Gogerr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Drag Lake (Dysart et al, Ontario) 8
Photo: Gogerr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons