Fishing Livingstone Lake in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Nipissing District, Ontario, sits Livingstone Lake. Elevation runs to 370 metres. At some 1.93 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Shoreline length is close to 8.7 km, and each section fishes a little differently. Size puts it in the front rank of our Nipissing District list. The big place round here is Barrie, 130 km distant. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Livingstone Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Nipissing District: smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Livingstone Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -12°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Anyone fishing Livingstone Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is a slipway at Hollow River - Dividing Lake Access Point (#14), roughly 1.1 km off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Ingrams Lake, 2.8 km away. Confirm access to Livingstone Lake locally before you travel.