Fishing at McEwen Lake, Parry Sound District, Ontario

• Overview

  The Parry Sound District end of Ontario holds McEwen Lake. The water sits 242 metres up. Around 21 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The whole outline is near 2.3 km, and most of it is walkable. 22 km away sits Parry Sound, the nearest town. The big place round here is Barrie, 127 km distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on McEwen Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. McEwen Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 19°C, with January the cold end at about -10°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to McEwen Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows a campsite some 1.3 km from the water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Simolea Lake at 1.3 km is the sensible second choice. Signs at McEwen Lake carry more weight than any list.