Crooked Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Crooked Lake is listed under Parry Sound District, Ontario. Pine and birch runs right down to the water. The water covers some 17 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Roughly 3.2 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. 20 km away sits South River, the nearest town. Barrie sits 149 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Crooked Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Parry Sound District include smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Fish Crooked Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -12°C and July at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan around that when you fish Crooked Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Duck Lake sits 1.2 km off and takes the overflow. For Crooked Lake in particular, ask before you travel.