Blairs Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Within Hastings County, Ontario, you have Blairs Lake. It lies 404 metres above sea level. At about 35 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. With about 2.9 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The closest town, Bancroft, is 26 km distant. United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde lies 41 km off, Haliburton Village another 54 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Blairs Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Hastings County cover rock bass, smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Blairs Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 18°C on average, January about -12°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Blairs Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. 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. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Little Watson Lake, 0.9 km away. Signs at Blairs Lake carry more weight than any list.