Fishing Martin Lake in Timiskaming District, Ontario

• Overview

  Martin Lake is one of the Timiskaming District listings for Ontario. The surface lies 340 metres up. Roughly 17 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. There is roughly 2.1 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. The nearest town is Englehart, 62 km away. Further out sit Temiskaming Shores (71 km) and Kirkland Lake (73 km). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Martin Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Timiskaming District include brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch and Iowa darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Martin Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -16°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Martin Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Calcite Lake at 3 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Martin Lake before loading the car.