Dolly Lake Fishing in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Dolly Lake is a Nipissing District water, Ontario side. The surface lies 461 metres up. It covers about 7 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Nipissing District standards. South River is the closest town at 41 km. It is 151 km to Barrie, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Dolly Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Dolly Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -12°C to 18°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Dolly Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. A campsite lies 1.3 km away for anyone staying over. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try West Dolly Lake, 1.1 km away. Check the position at Dolly Lake before loading the car.