Pickerel Lake Fishing Guide, Parry Sound District, Ontario

• Overview

  The Parry Sound District end of Ontario holds Pickerel Lake. The country here is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 91 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The perimeter runs near 9.4 km, so plan the walk before you start. It is among the larger waters listed here for Parry Sound District. For supplies, South River is 26 km out. Powassan is 35 km and Callander 49 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pickerel Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Parry Sound District, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, northern pike and rock bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The shape of Pickerel Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -11°C in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Pickerel Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Hammond Lake is 1 km distant. Ask locally about Pickerel Lake if anything is unclear.