Desert Lake Fishing near Sharpton/Glenvale, Ontario

• Overview

  Desert Lake belongs to Frontenac County, Ontario. It sits at 137 metres above sea level. At some 3.83 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The perimeter is close to 29 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. Few waters listed in Frontenac County are bigger. The town to know is Sharpton/Glenvale, 24 km out. Kingston is the closest city, 36 km away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Desert Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Frontenac County include pumpkinseed, bluegill and rock bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Desert Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 20°C, the coldest about -9°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Desert Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Sand Lake, 1.9 km away. What applies at Desert Lake may have changed since it was mapped.