Little Branch Lake Fishing in Hastings County, Ontario

• Overview

  Hastings County, Ontario, is where Little Branch Lake sits. Land around it is rolling bush. It runs to roughly 47 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The edge covers about 9.0 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Few waters listed in Hastings County are bigger. Barrie sits 151 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Little Branch Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Little Branch Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -12°C in January up to 18°C in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Little Branch Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Overnight stays are possible about 1 km out, where camping is mapped. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Clyde Lake, 2 km out. Rules at Little Branch Lake are worth checking on the day.