Map of Stony Lake with depth contours

Stony Lake

44.5564° N, 78.1135° W

Depth contours from the 1970 government survey. Not for navigation.

Download the depth map (SVG)

Stony Lake is 31 m deep at its deepest point, deeper than 82% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario. It covers 29.2 km² and lies 1.5 km east of Big Cedar.

Government surveys have recorded 21 fish species here, including smallmouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass.

Maximum depth
31 msurveyed 1970
deeper than 82% of the 2,688 surveyed lakes in Ontario
Area
29.2 km²
larger than 98% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
Shoreline
188 km
longer than 99% of the 18,731 lakes in Ontario
Water clarity
3.8 mSecchi depth, 2025
clearer than 56% of the 1,251 monitored lakes in Ontario
Fish species
21
more than 97% of the 2,454 surveyed lakes in Ontario
Elevation
232 m

Today on the water

4.9 °C

Wind calm

Observed at Apsley, as of 3:00 a.m. EDT

choppy Estimated waves, next 12 hours: up to 0.3 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
Time4 a.m.7 a.m.10 a.m.1 p.m.4 p.m.7 p.m.10 p.m.1 a.m.
Wind km/hW 15W 15W 15NW 30NW 30NW 15var. 5var. 5
Gusts km/h5050
Waves (est.) m0.20.20.20.3
Temp. °C45912141052
Precip. %20404040202000

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 4.

Weather: Apsley (local forecast), as of 3:00 a.m. EDT

Sun and moon

Civil dawn
6:51 a.m.
Sunrise
7:20 a.m.
Sunset
6:38 p.m.
Civil dusk
7:07 p.m.
Moonrise
6:12 a.m.
Moonset
5:56 p.m.
Moon
Waning crescent, 1% lit

Air Quality Health Index

2 low risk

Peterborough, as of 2:00 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

48% of Stony Lake is shallower than 3 m, and 11% is deeper than 10 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 from 1970 records a maximum depth of 31 m, drawn from 1,690 depth contours.

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 Depths are from government surveys and may be outdated.

Fish

Sport fish by the share of the 65 government surveys (2004–2014) that recorded them.

  • Smallmouth Bass34 of 65
  • Yellow Perch33 of 65
  • Rock Bass30 of 65
  • Bluegill27 of 65
  • Pumpkinseed27 of 65
  • Cisco22 of 65
  • Walleye17 of 65
  • Black Crappie13 of 65
  • Largemouth Bass11 of 65
  • Lake Whitefish4 of 65
  • Muskellunge2 of 65
  • Burbot1 of 65
Forage fish and other species (9)

Forage fish

  • Golden Shiner 6
  • Rainbow Smelt 4
  • Logperch 2
  • Spottail Shiner 2
  • Trout-Perch 2
  • Bluntnose Minnow 1

Other

  • Brown Bullhead 9
  • White Sucker 4
  • Yellow Bullhead 1

Numbers are the surveys that recorded each species.

Eating your catch

The provincial guide to eating fish (2026) sets limits for 13 species from Stony Lake. Maximum meals per month:

SpeciesLengthGeneral populationSensitive population*Contaminant
Black Crappie20-25 cm1612Precautionary
Bluegill15-20 cm1612Precautionary
Lake Whitefish45-50 cm1212PCB
Largemouth Bass30-35 cm168Mercury
Muskellunge>75 cmDo not eatDo not eatMercury
Pumpkinseed15-20 cm1616Precautionary
Rock Bass15-20 cm164Mercury
Smallmouth Bass35-40 cm124Mercury
Walleye40-45 cm168Mercury
Yellow Perch20-25 cm168Mercury
Brown Bullhead25-30 cm1616Precautionary
Burbot (Ling)50-55 cm124Mercury
Cisco (Lake Herring)30-35 cm168Mercury

* 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 17. Check seasons and limits before you fish.

Water

Clarity was measured with a Secchi disk in 30 years between 1996 and 2025; the latest annual mean is 3.8 m.

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

Getting on the water

2 listed boat launches; 1 with parking listed. marks launches on the map.

Photos

Stony Lake Regatta (HS85-10-17524)
Photo: Roy Studio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons