Long Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Long Lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. The setting is pine and birch. The water covers some 19 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 4.3 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Ground here is low by Ontario standards. The closest town, Mattawa, is 12 km away. Greater Sudbury sits 165 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Read Long Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -13°C to 19°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. From about late April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Long Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The closest car park is 770 m away, so pack accordingly. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Moore Lake at 2.1 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Long Lake is worth confirming on the day.