David Thompson Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Nipissing District in Ontario is where David Thompson Lake sits. The setting is lake country bush on every side. It measures about 15 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. With about 2.6 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The nearest town is United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde, 36 km away. Haliburton Village follows at 54 km, then Bancroft at 62 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on David Thompson Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Nipissing District cover smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On David Thompson Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On David Thompson Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows a campsite some 200 m from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Fraser Lake at 2 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position at David Thompson Lake before loading the car.