Pen Lake Fishing in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Nipissing District, Pen Lake is an Ontario water. It sits at 400 metres above sea level. At 3.88 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The perimeter runs near 19 km, so plan the walk before you start. Few waters listed in Nipissing District are bigger. Barrie sits 155 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Pen Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Nipissing District: smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Pen Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 18°C, while January sits near -12°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Pen Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows a campsite some 340 m from the water. A toilet block sits 700 m away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Night Lake, 2.3 km out. The position on Pen Lake is worth confirming on the day.