Rathbun Lake Fishing in Peterborough County, Ontario

• Overview

  You will find Rathbun Lake in Peterborough County, Ontario. The water sits 321 metres up. About 1.13 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. The edge covers about 10.0 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Start from Bobcaygeon, 37 km down the road. The nearest city of size is Oshawa, 110 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Rathbun Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Peterborough County list rock bass, pumpkinseed and smallmouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Rathbun Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -10°C to 19°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. At Rathbun Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A campsite lies 390 m away for anyone staying over. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, North Rathbun Lake is 2.1 km distant. Nothing on Rathbun Lake should be assumed from this page alone.