Bell Lake in Nipissing District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bell Lake is listed under Nipissing District, Ontario. The country here is rolling bush. At 9 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. For a base, Mattawa sits 29 km out. Beyond it, Callander at 31 km and North Bay at 32 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules. Nothing here demands specialist tackle.

• Where to Fish on Bell Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Bell Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -13°C in January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Bell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Chime Lake at 2.2 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Bell Lake before loading the car.