McKenzie Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Ontario, McKenzie Lake falls inside Nipissing District. The bank is 402 metres above sea level. It measures some 3.22 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The margin runs to about 13 km in total. Size puts it in the front rank of our Nipissing District list. Further out sit Bancroft (36 km) and Haliburton Village (52 km). Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on McKenzie Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Nipissing District names smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Work McKenzie Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 18°C and January at -12°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on McKenzie Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, North Chainy Lake at 1.9 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position at McKenzie Lake before loading the car.