Fishing at Betty Lake, Parry Sound District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Parry Sound District, Betty Lake is an Ontario water. The bank is 440 metres above sea level. With some 13 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 2.4 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Ontario listings. The closest town, South River, is 30 km distant. Powassan lies 42 km off, Huntsville another 47 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Betty Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Parry Sound District names smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Treat Betty Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -12°C in January and 18°C in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Time your trip to Betty Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Canty Lake is 0.7 km distant. Check the position at Betty Lake before loading the car.