Kates Lake near Mississippi Mills: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in Lanark County, Ontario. This is pine and birch country. Small at around 7 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Ground here is low by Ontario standards. The nearest town is Mississippi Mills, 26 km away. Nepean sits 65 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Kates Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Kates Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -11°C in January to roughly 19°C in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near early December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It holds true on Kates Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Duncs Lake, 0.6 km away. Confirm before you fish Kates Lake.