Burnt Lake in Parry Sound District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Burnt Lake sits in Parry Sound District, out in Ontario. It lies 227 metres above sea level. Surface area is around 24 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Around 3.4 km of margin, front to back. It lies lower than most water we list in Ontario. The nearest town is Powassan, 30 km away. Callander lies 32 km off, North Bay another 33 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Burnt Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Parry Sound District records list smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, northern pike and rock bass among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of Burnt Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 19°C in July and bottoms out near -12°C in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan around that when you fish Burnt Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Brimson Lake, 1.1 km away. Check the current arrangement for Burnt Lake.