Music Lake Fishing near Powassan, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Parry Sound District, Ontario, sits Music Lake. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. Surface area runs to about 10 hectares — small enough to read in one session. There is roughly 2.0 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Nearest place of any size is Powassan, 13 km away. South River is 16 km and Callander 32 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Music Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Parry Sound District list smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, northern pike and rock bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Music Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -12°C in January up to 18°C in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That shapes the year on Music Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Smyth Lake is 1.7 km off. Where Music Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.