Fishing Pats Lake in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Nipissing District, Ontario, sits Pats Lake. It lies 306 metres above sea level. Roughly 43 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Bank access stretches around 4.2 km in total. The nearest town is Markstay-Warren, 58 km away. Then West Nipissing, 58 km, and Sturgeon Falls, 58 km. Close by you have: Aileen Lake about 1.5 km, 5.5 km out stands Cross Lake, Pat Lake about 6.6 km, 7 km out stands South Iron Lake and David Lake about 7.4 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Pats Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Pats Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 18°C and January near -15°C on the long-run figures. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That shapes the year on Pats Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Aileen Lake, 1.5 km away. Signs at Pats Lake carry more weight than any list.