Fishing Bentley Lake in Hastings County, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Hastings County, Bentley Lake is an Ontario water. The surface lies 354 metres up. Roughly 22 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The whole outline is near 3.2 km, and most of it is walkable. Some 5.7 km away sits Bancroft, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Kingston, 144 km distant. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Bentley Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Hastings County include rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and bluegill. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Fish Bentley Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -11°C in January to roughly 18°C in July. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Bentley Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Siddon Lake at 0.7 km is the sensible second choice. For Bentley Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.