Little Marten Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Ontario, Little Marten Lake belongs to Renfrew County. Elevation runs to 253 metres. Small at around 4 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Renfrew County standards. You are 47 km from Mattawa. Further out sit Deep River (49 km) and Chalk River (55 km). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Little Marten Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Renfrew County records list smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Little Marten Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -13°C in January up to 18°C in July. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Little Marten Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Harvey's Shanty Lake at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. Rules at Little Marten Lake are worth checking on the day.