Ben Lake Fishing in District Municipality of Muskoka, Ontario

• Overview

  The District Municipality of Muskoka entry here is Ben Lake, in Ontario. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. The water covers some 35 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. There is roughly 2.6 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. The closest town, Gravenhurst, is 13 km away. Bracebridge follows at 18 km, then Amigo Beach at 27 km. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Ben Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across District Municipality of Muskoka: pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Ben Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 19°C and January about -10°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to early December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. That is the shape of the year on Ben Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Jerita Lake, 1.1 km out. Check the position at Ben Lake before loading the car.