Iceland Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Iceland Lake in the Nipissing District part of Ontario. It lies 311 metres above sea level. Surface area is around 85 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. At about 12 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Size puts it in the front rank of our Nipissing District list. Nearest town is Ville-Marie, 50 km off. Haileybury is 53 km away, with Temiskaming Shores at 56 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Iceland Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Nipissing District cover smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Iceland Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -15°C in January and 18°C in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan around that when you fish Iceland Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A slipway is marked about 1.5 km from here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Driftwood Lake at 1.9 km is the nearest alternative. Treat Iceland Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.