Fishing Little Cranberry Lake in Renfrew County, Ontario

• Overview

  Little Cranberry Lake stands in Renfrew County, Ontario. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. At 4 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Renfrew County. 26 km away sits Petawawa, the nearest town. Further out sit Chalk River (32 km) and Pembroke (33 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Little Cranberry Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, rock bass and brook trout. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Little Cranberry Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 19°C, while January sits near -13°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Little Cranberry Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Big Cranberry Lake sits 0.6 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Little Cranberry Lake locally before you travel.