Branch Lake in Hastings County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Branch Lake in Hastings County, Ontario. This is mixed forest country. With some 31 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 2.8 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. For supplies, United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde is 15 km out. The big place round here is Barrie, 147 km distant. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Branch Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and bluegill. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Branch Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -12°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It holds true on Branch Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. You can camp 430 m off, which suits an early start. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Upper Minnow Lake, 1.2 km away. Rules at Branch Lake are worth checking on the day.