Bena Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Bena Lake lies within the bounds of Nipissing District, Ontario. The surface lies 416 metres up. About 10 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The bank runs about 1.4 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. 38 km away sits United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde, the nearest town. The big place round here is Barrie, 141 km distant. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Bena Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Nipissing District, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Bena Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -12°C in January and 18°C in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Bena Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Mikado Lake, 1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Bena Lake carry more weight than any list.