Neal Lake in Frontenac County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Frontenac County in Ontario is where Neal Lake sits. It sits at 281 metres above sea level. With some 13 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 1.7 km, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, Sharbot Lake, is 35 km away. Tweed follows at 39 km, then Madoc at 42 km. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Neal Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Frontenac County include pumpkinseed, bluegill, rock bass and smallmouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Neal Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -11°C and July at about 19°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That is the shape of the year on Neal Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Morgan Lake is 1 km off. Confirm access to Neal Lake locally before you travel.