Lipton Lake Fishing near Hornepayne, Ontario

• Overview

  Lipton Lake lies within the bounds of Algoma, Ontario. This is boreal forest country. With some 31 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 3.3 km keeps the choices simple. The nearest town is Hornepayne, 32 km away. Further out sit Manitouwadge (93 km) and Hearst (105 km). There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lipton Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Algoma records list walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter and yellow perch among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Lipton Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -18°C in January. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Lipton Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Little Lipton Lake sits 5.2 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Lipton Lake.