Fishing at Herridge Lake, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Herridge Lake is set in Nipissing District, Ontario. The country here is mixed forest. The water covers around 1.88 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The edge covers about 24 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Size puts it in the front rank of our Nipissing District list. Start from Ville-Marie, 49 km down the road. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 104 km off. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Herridge Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Nipissing District cover smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Herridge Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -15°C in January and 18°C in July. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Herridge Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A jetty or pier is mapped about 230 m from here. There is a campsite 960 m from the water. 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. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Wilson Lake, 3 km away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Herridge Lake is worth confirming on the day.