Pope Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Pope Lake belongs to Hastings County, Ontario. It stands 402 metres above sea level. At 7 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Hastings County are larger. Head to Bancroft, 8.4 km away, for anything you forgot. The big place round here is Kingston, 150 km distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Pope Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Hastings County include rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Pope Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 18°C and January near -12°C on the long-run figures. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Pope Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try McCormick Lake, 0.7 km away. Where Pope Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.