Bernhardt Lake Fishing near Kirkland Lake, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Timiskaming District, Ontario, sits Bernhardt Lake. It lies 312 metres above sea level. Roughly 83 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 4.5 km in total. Few waters listed in Timiskaming District are bigger. Kirkland Lake lies 11 km from the water. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 207 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Bernhardt Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Timiskaming District list brook trout, northern pike and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Bernhardt Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -17°C in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. On Bernhardt Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Little Cameron Lake, 2 km out. For Bernhardt Lake in particular, ask before you travel.