McLean Lake Fishing Guide, Grey County, Ontario

• Overview

  Grey County, Ontario, is where McLean Lake sits. The surface lies 327 metres up. The water covers some 19 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The shape is regular, which means fewer obvious ambush corners. Some 16 km away sits Hanover, the nearest settlement. Markdale follows at 20 km, then Walkerton at 25 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on McLean Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Grey County cover Chinook salmon, rainbow trout, brook trout, white sucker and cisco. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read McLean Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 19°C, while January sits near -8°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to McLean Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. McCormick Lake sits 2.5 km off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for McLean Lake in what we hold.