Fishing Flat Lake in Timiskaming District, Ontario

• Overview

  The Timiskaming District end of Ontario holds Flat Lake. The water sits 362 metres up. At 8 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. For a base, Timmins sits 66 km out. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 158 km off. Others close at hand: 1.3 km out stands Holbrooke Lake, Bess Lake a touch under 1.3 km, 1.4 km out stands Tory Lake, Silver Lake a touch under 1.4 km and 1.4 km out stands Wood Lake. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Flat Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Timiskaming District cover brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Flat Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -17°C to 17°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Flat Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Holbrooke Lake, 1.3 km away. The position on Flat Lake is worth confirming on the day.