Hines Lake Fishing Guide, Grey County, Ontario

• Overview

  Grey County, Ontario, is where Hines Lake sits. It sits at 379 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 12 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 1.8 km in total. Nearest town is Markdale, 14 km off. Then Sydenham, 17 km, and Meaford, 23 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Hines Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Grey County include Chinook salmon, rainbow trout, brook trout and white sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Treat Hines Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 19°C in July and bottoms out near -8°C in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Hines Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows a campsite some 680 m from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Connell's Lake sits 0.4 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Hines Lake.