Hartshorn Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Ontario, Hartshorn Lake belongs to Nipissing District. It sits at 282 metres above sea level. At about 15 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 2.1 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Some 19 km away sits Mattawa, the nearest settlement. It is 160 km to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Hartshorn Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Hartshorn Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 18°C and January at -13°C. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Hartshorn Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Montreuil Lake at 1.6 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Hartshorn Lake is worth confirming on the day.