Fishing Harper Lake in Hastings County, Ontario

• Overview

  Harper Lake stands in Hastings County, Ontario. The setting is mixed forest on every side. At 3 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Hastings County list. For supplies, Marmora is 28 km out. Kingston is the closest city, 109 km away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Harper Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Hastings County cover rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Harper Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 19°C; the cold one sits at -10°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about early December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Harper Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Door Lake sits 1.5 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Harper Lake before loading the car.