Little North River Lake Fishing near Mattawa, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Little North River Lake falls inside Nipissing District. It lies 374 metres above sea level. The water covers some 56 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With 7.7 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. The town to know is Mattawa, 28 km out. Greater Sudbury sits 199 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Little North River Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Work Little North River Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -13°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Little North River Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Kangas Lake, 1.1 km out. Rules at Little North River Lake are worth checking on the day.