Bonasa Lake Fishing in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Nipissing District, Ontario, this is Bonasa Lake. The water sits 430 metres up. Small at around 6 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Our Nipissing District list holds plenty of bigger water. You are 57 km from South River. It is 169 km to Barrie, the nearest city. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Bonasa Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Nipissing District: smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Fish Bonasa Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 18°C; by January the average is down near -13°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Bonasa Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. A campsite is mapped about 1 km away, which makes an early start easier. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Pinay Lake sits 0.6 km off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Bonasa Lake for certain.