Bigwind Lake in District Municipality of Muskoka: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bigwind Lake lies within the bounds of District Municipality of Muskoka, Ontario. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. It measures some 1.08 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. There is roughly 8.6 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Start from Bracebridge, 21 km down the road. Further out sit Gravenhurst (29 km) and Huntsville (33 km). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Bigwind Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for District Municipality of Muskoka names pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Bigwind Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 18°C and January near -11°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Bigwind Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Pine Lake, 1.5 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing on Bigwind Lake should be assumed from this page alone.