Grouse Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Grouse Lake lies in District Municipality of Muskoka, in Ontario. It lies 320 metres above sea level. It measures about 10 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The full circuit measures close to 1.8 km on foot. Bracebridge sits 28 km from the bank. For a city, Barrie is 97 km off. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Grouse Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for District Municipality of Muskoka cover pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Grouse Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -11°C. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Grouse Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A camping area sits within 250 m of here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Teapot Lake is 1 km distant. What applies at Grouse Lake may have changed since it was mapped.