Fishing at Gnat Lake, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Gnat Lake is one of the Nipissing District listings for Ontario. The water sits 467 metres up. Small at around 2 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Nipissing District list. Nearest town is United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde, 37 km off. Haliburton Village is 53 km and Huntsville 58 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Gnat Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Nipissing District list smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Gnat Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 18°C; by January the average is down near -12°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Gnat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A camping area sits within 790 m of here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Harness Lake, 1.5 km away. Signs at Gnat Lake carry more weight than any list.