Fishing at Harris Lake, Parry Sound District, Ontario

• Overview

  Harris Lake stands in Parry Sound District, Ontario. The water sits 202 metres up. Surface area runs to roughly 2.52 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. At about 49 km of edge, most people fish a single area and learn it well. Size puts it in the front rank of our Parry Sound District list. Parry Sound is the closest town at 47 km. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 100 km distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Harris Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Parry Sound District include smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and northern pike. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Treat Harris Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 19°C; by January the average is down near -9°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Harris Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A boat ramp sits about 110 m from the water. Harris Lake Marina sits 140 m off, with launching and moorings. A pier 120 m from here gives a platform over deeper water. A campsite lies 340 m away for anyone staying over. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Northern Pike Lake, 2.6 km away. Treat access at Harris Lake as something to verify.