Fishing at Murdock Lake, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Murdock Lake stands in Nipissing District, Ontario. It sits in pine and birch. This is a pocket water of some 6 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Nipissing District list holds plenty of bigger water. The town to know is Mattawa, 64 km out. United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde lies 65 km off, Chalk River another 76 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Murdock Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Murdock Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. That shapes the year on Murdock Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is camping recorded roughly 250 m off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Proulx Lake, 1.7 km away. Rules at Murdock Lake are worth checking on the day.