Fishing at Presto Lake, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Presto Lake sits in Nipissing District, out in Ontario. It stands 456 metres above sea level. Around 16 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The full circuit measures close to 2.1 km on foot. It is high ground by Ontario standards. Nearest town is United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde, 58 km off. It is 185 km to Barrie, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Presto Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Treat Presto Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It holds true on Presto Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Marshy Lake is 1.1 km off. Nothing on Presto Lake should be assumed from this page alone.