Leafield Lake Fishing in Haliburton County, Ontario

• Overview

  The Haliburton County end of Ontario holds Leafield Lake. It sits at 383 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 32 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The bank runs about 2.5 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Bancroft at 21 km is the nearest place to stop. Barrie is the closest city, 145 km away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Leafield Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Haliburton County names smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and rock bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Leafield Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -11°C in January to roughly 18°C in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan around that when you fish Leafield Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Elephant Lake at 3.5 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Leafield Lake before loading the car.