Nates Lake Fishing in Hastings County, Ontario

• Overview

  The Hastings County end of Ontario holds Nates Lake. It lies 443 metres above sea level. At 2 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Hastings County. United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde at 30 km is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Barrie, 161 km away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Nates Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Hastings County, recorded fish include rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. At Nates Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 18°C and January about -12°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Nates Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Pat Lake, 0.8 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat Nates Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.