Mud Turtle Lake in Nipissing District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Nipissing District entry here is Mud Turtle Lake, in Ontario. Elevation runs to 418 metres. It covers about 6 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Nipissing District list. Nearest place of any size is Mattawa, 61 km away. Barrie is the closest city, 187 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Mud Turtle Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Nipissing District records list smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Read Mud Turtle Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 18°C and January about -13°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Mud Turtle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Nool Lake is 1.1 km distant. Treat Mud Turtle Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.