Benson Lake Fishing near Englehart, Ontario

• Overview

  You will find Benson Lake in Timiskaming District, Ontario. The bank gives way to pine and birch. Surface area is around 95 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Shoreline comes to about 4.8 km, small enough to learn in a day. Size puts it in the front rank of our Timiskaming District list. The closest town, Englehart, is 19 km away. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 190 km away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Benson Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Timiskaming District records list brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Benson Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -17°C in January and 17°C in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Benson Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. St. Anthony Lake, 3.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Benson Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.