Long Lake Fishing near Huntsville, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Long Lake belongs to District Municipality of Muskoka. The setting is lake country bush. At some 1.95 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 12 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. On our District Municipality of Muskoka list it sits near the top for size. 22 km away sits Huntsville, the nearest town. The big place round here is Barrie, 104 km distant. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. District Municipality of Muskoka records list pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and northern pike among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Long Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 18°C in July and bottoms out near -10°C in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly early December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Long Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Sims Lake, 2.9 km away. Check the current arrangement for Long Lake.