Bolton Lake in Timiskaming District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Timiskaming District, Bolton Lake is an Ontario water. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. The water covers some 18 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 3.0 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The closest town, Timmins, is 72 km away. It is 152 km to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Bolton Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Timiskaming District list brook trout, northern pike and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Bolton Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 17°C and January near -17°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Bolton Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Winding Lake, 1.1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Bolton Lake.