Fishing at Big Rideau Lake, United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Ontario

• Overview

  Big Rideau Lake is one of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville waters in Ontario. The surface lies 122 metres up. Ground here is low by Ontario standards. Start from Perth, 15 km down the road. Kingston is the closest city, 64 km away. Also worth knowing: 2 km away is Loon Lake, Round Lake roughly 3.4 km, 3.6 km away is Long Lake, Canton Lake roughly 3.7 km and 5.6 km away is Rock Lake. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Big Rideau Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for United Counties of Leeds and Grenville list pumpkinseed, bluegill, yellow perch and rock bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Big Rideau Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 20°C at the top of summer and -10°C at the bottom of winter. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about mid December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. On Big Rideau Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. There is a launch about 1.1 km from the bank. There is a jetty 960 m off, worth knowing on a busy day. You can camp about 1.5 km away, going by the mapping. Mapping shows a picnic spot within 1.2 km. There are toilets mapped about 1.1 km away. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Loon Lake, 2 km away. Treat access at Big Rideau Lake as something to verify.