Brule Lake Fishing Guide, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  The Nipissing District entry here is Brule Lake, in Ontario. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. This is sizeable water at about 1.02 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The shoreline runs about 6.2 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It ranks high for size among our Nipissing District listings. Petawawa lies 51 km from the water. Further out sit Eganville (52 km) and Chalk River (54 km). Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Brule Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to Brule Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Plan around that when you fish Brule Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Begonia Lake sits 1 km off and takes the overflow. For Brule Lake in particular, ask before you travel.