Earl's Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Earl's Lake lies in Nipissing District, Ontario. This is lake country bush ground. Roughly 64 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The whole outline is near 3.6 km, and most of it is walkable. Ground here is low by Ontario standards. You are 5 km from Mattawa. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 172 km away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Earl's Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Work Earl's Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Earl's Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Taggart Lake, 1.6 km out. Confirm before you fish Earl's Lake.