Burbot Lake Fishing near Mattawa, Ontario

• Overview

  The Nipissing District entry here is Burbot Lake, in Ontario. It lies 168 metres above sea level. It measures about 22 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 2.1 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Ontario listings. For supplies, Mattawa is 16 km out. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 163 km distant. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Burbot Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Nipissing District records list smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Treat Burbot Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -13°C in January up to 19°C in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly early December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Time your trip to Burbot Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Pacaud Lake at 3.6 km is the nearest alternative. For Burbot Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.