Craig Lake Fishing near South River, Ontario

• Overview

  You will find Craig Lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The setting is mixed forest on every side. This is sizeable water at about 3.41 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. At about 32 km of edge, most people fish a single area and learn it well. On our Nipissing District list it sits near the top for size. The nearest place of any size is South River, 24 km away. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 162 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Craig 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. Across Nipissing District, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Craig Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -13°C and July at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That is the shape of the year on Craig Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is a campsite 460 m from the water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Stranger Lake at 1.4 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Craig Lake for certain.