Fishing Paddy Lake in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Nipissing District in Ontario is where Paddy Lake sits. The surface lies 482 metres up. At about 13 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The full circuit measures close to 2.1 km on foot. It sits higher than most water we list in Ontario. The town to know is United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde, 37 km out. Barrie is the closest city, 146 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Paddy Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco and yellow perch. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Paddy Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -12°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Paddy Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A campsite lies 1.2 km away for anyone staying over. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Midget Lake at 0.7 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Paddy Lake locally before you travel.