Porphyry Lake in Timiskaming District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Timiskaming District, Ontario, you have Porphyry Lake. Height above sea level is 354 metres. At about 25 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 4.4 km keeps the choices simple. Nearest town is Englehart, 88 km off. Kirkland Lake lies 92 km off, Timmins another 94 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Porphyry Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Porphyry Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 17°C, with January the cold end at about -16°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Porphyry Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Hare Lake is 1.3 km distant. What applies at Porphyry Lake may have changed since it was mapped.