Black Lake in Parry Sound District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Black Lake sits within Parry Sound District in Ontario. The bank gives way to pine and birch. At about 26 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 3.9 km keeps the choices simple. Supplies mean a trip to Parry Sound, 34 km off. South River is 65 km and Powassan 78 km. Water in the same corner: Round Lake 1.1 km off, Carson Lake 4 km, Spectacle Lake 4 km off, Bolger Lake 4.1 km and Dogfish Lake 4.1 km off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Black Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for Parry Sound District list smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Black Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -10°C in January to roughly 19°C in July. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The season between ice runs from about mid April to early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. That is the shape of the year on Black Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Round Lake is 1.1 km off. Check the current arrangement for Black Lake.