Fishing Crescent Lake in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Nipissing District, Crescent Lake is an Ontario water. It stands 205 metres above sea level. At 5 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Nipissing District list. Callander at 22 km is the nearest place to stop. Further out sit North Bay (28 km) and Mattawa (31 km). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Crescent Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Nipissing District records list smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Crescent Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 19°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Crescent Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. 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. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Pine Lake at 1.3 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Crescent Lake is worth confirming on the day.