Limestone Lake in Hastings County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Limestone Lake is set in Hastings County, Ontario. The water sits 366 metres up. Surface area is around 50 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. There is roughly 6.3 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. It ranks high for size among our Hastings County listings. Some 22 km away sits Bancroft, the nearest settlement. Kingston is the closest city, 128 km away. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Limestone Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Hastings County, recorded fish include rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The near bank of Limestone Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 18°C on average, January about -12°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It holds true on Limestone Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Wanamaker Lake, 1.3 km out. Rules at Limestone Lake are worth checking on the day.