Fishing at Maple Lake, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Maple Lake lies in Nipissing District, Ontario. It lies 371 metres above sea level. At 3.20 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. Shoreline length is close to 18 km, and each section fishes a little differently. It ranks high for size among our Nipissing District listings. Mattawa lies 34 km from the water. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 175 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Maple Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco and yellow perch. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Maple Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Maple Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A campsite lies 460 m away for anyone staying over. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Ratrap Lake is 2.1 km off. Rules at Maple Lake are worth checking on the day.