Clay Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Lanark County end of Ontario holds Clay Lake. The setting is rolling bush on every side. It covers about 5 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Ontario listings. For supplies, Renfrew is 28 km out. Arnprior follows at 32 km, then Mississippi Mills at 33 km. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Clay Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Lanark County include pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Clay Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 19°C for July and -11°C for January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It holds true on Clay Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Little Mud Lake sits 0.3 km off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Clay Lake in what we hold.