Fishing Charleston Lake in United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Ontario

• Overview

  Ontario holds Charleston Lake, in United Counties of Leeds and Grenville. It lies 85 metres above sea level. It covers about 26.91 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. You have roughly 140 km of edge to choose from, which rewards a scouting trip. It is the biggest water on our United Counties of Leeds and Grenville list. Nearest town is Alexandria Bay, 23 km off. Then Gananoque, 25 km, and Brockville, 27 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Charleston Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Public occurrence data for United Counties of Leeds and Grenville names pumpkinseed, bluegill and yellow perch. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Charleston Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 20°C in July and bottom out at -9°C in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and mid December closes it again. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Charleston Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows a campsite some 1.2 km from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Mud Lake at 3.6 km is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Charleston Lake as something to verify.