Carl Wilson Lake Fishing in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Carl Wilson Lake is one of the Nipissing District listings for Ontario. The surroundings are pine and birch. At some 3.85 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. With 20 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. On our Nipissing District list it sits near the top for size. Mattawa sits 34 km from here and is the nearest stop. Powassan is 58 km and Callander 63 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Carl Wilson Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, cisco and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Carl Wilson Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -13°C to 18°C. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Carl Wilson Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Overnight stays are possible 110 m away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Glacier Lake is 2 km distant. Where Carl Wilson Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.