Hood Lake Fishing near Huntsville, Ontario

• Overview

  The Nipissing District end of Ontario holds Hood Lake. The bank is 401 metres above sea level. It covers about 7 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Nipissing District list. Huntsville sits 32 km from the bank. Beyond it, South River at 49 km and United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde at 54 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hood Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Nipissing District records list smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Hood Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -12°C in January and 18°C in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Hood Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Nightfall Lake sits 2.1 km off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Hood Lake for certain.