Fishing at Maiden Lake, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Maiden Lake lies in Nipissing District, in Ontario. It stands 440 metres above sea level. At 2 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Nipissing District. For supplies, United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde is 48 km out. The big place round here is Barrie, 152 km distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Maiden Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Nipissing District, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Maiden Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -13°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan any trip to Maiden Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Mapping shows a campsite some 1.1 km from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Sundance Lake is 0.4 km off. For Maiden Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.