Fishing Dunbar Lake in Timiskaming District, Ontario

• Overview

  Dunbar Lake sits in Timiskaming District, out in Ontario. It lies 340 metres above sea level. About 8 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The bank runs about 1.7 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is a small entry by Timiskaming District standards. The nearest place of any size is Kirkland Lake, 11 km away. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 204 km distant. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Dunbar Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Timiskaming District include brook trout, northern pike and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Dunbar Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 17°C, while January sits near -17°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That is the shape of the year on Dunbar Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Splashwater Lake sits 0.7 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Dunbar Lake before loading the car.