Lavaque Lake in Nipissing District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Nipissing District entry here is Lavaque Lake, in Ontario. It stands 345 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 18 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Bank access stretches around 3.1 km in total. Nearest town is Deep River, 56 km off. The nearest city of size is Gatineau, 197 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lavaque Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Nipissing District: smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Lavaque Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 18°C; the cold one sits at -13°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Lavaque Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Overnight stays are possible 90 m away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Mallic Lake, 2.3 km away. For Lavaque Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.