Perley Lake Fishing Guide, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Perley Lake falls in Nipissing District, part of Ontario. The water sits 392 metres up. At some 1.28 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The shoreline runs about 16 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. On our Nipissing District list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to Mattawa, 48 km off. For a city, Barrie is 184 km off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Perley Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. 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. Records held for Nipissing District cover smallmouth bass, cisco and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Take Perley Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -13°C in January up to 18°C in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Perley Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Hayes Lake sits 1.7 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Perley Lake locally before you travel.