Fishing Johnstons Lake in Renfrew County, Ontario

• Overview

  Johnstons Lake is set in Renfrew County, Ontario. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. This is a tiny water, and one quiet approach covers all of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Renfrew County list. Renfrew sits 6.4 km from here and is the nearest stop. Further out sit Shawville (17 km) and Cobden (20 km). The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Johnstons Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Renfrew County list smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and rock bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Johnstons Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 20°C and January at -13°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That shapes the year on Johnstons Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Yuills Lake is 1.1 km distant. Check the position at Johnstons Lake before loading the car.