Durkee Lake in Timiskaming District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Durkee Lake is set in Timiskaming District, Ontario. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. At 2 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Timiskaming District. For a base, Englehart sits 71 km out. Temiskaming Shores follows at 73 km, then Haileybury at 79 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Durkee Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Timiskaming District include brook trout, northern pike and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Durkee Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 17°C; the cold one sits at -16°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Durkee Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Steele Lake at 0.7 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Durkee Lake locally before you travel.