Hartwick Lake in Renfrew County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hartwick Lake lies in Renfrew County, in Ontario. It lies 432 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to about 8 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Nearest place of any size is Eganville, 27 km away. The big place round here is Nepean, 129 km distant. Others worth noting: Dent Lake some 1 km off, Welks Lake within 2.1 km, Buck Lake some 2.5 km off, Bebees Lake within 3.1 km and Tennants Lake some 3.3 km off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hartwick Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Renfrew County include smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Hartwick Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -13°C in January to roughly 18°C in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Expect Hartwick Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Dent Lake, 1 km away. Where Hartwick Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.