Pine Lake in Parry Sound District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Pine Lake in Parry Sound District, Ontario. Lake country bush runs right down to the water. The water covers some 71 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The perimeter runs near 6.9 km, so plan the walk before you start. Size puts it in the front rank of our Parry Sound District list. South River is the closest place, 32 km off. Powassan is 32 km away, with Callander at 41 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Pine Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Parry Sound District: smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, northern pike and rock bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Pine Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -12°C for January. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It holds true on Pine Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Rausch Lake, 2.7 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Pine Lake are worth checking on the day.