Hammend Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Ontario, Hammend Lake falls inside Nipissing District. The ground round it is lake country bush. It measures about 26 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The whole outline is near 2.7 km, and most of it is walkable. Nearest town is Capreol, 41 km off. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 63 km off. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Hammend Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Nipissing District list smallmouth bass, cisco and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Hammend Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -15°C at the bottom of winter. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Hammend Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Halleck Lake, 1.3 km out. Check the current arrangement for Hammend Lake.