Fishing Rattail Lake in Renfrew County, Ontario

• Overview

  Rattail Lake falls in Renfrew County, part of Ontario. The surface lies 275 metres up. The water covers some 22 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 2.6 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Mattawa is the closest place, 42 km off. Gatineau is the closest city, 208 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Rattail Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Renfrew County records list smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch among the fish reported. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Rattail Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 18°C and January about -13°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Expect Rattail Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Waterloo Lake, 1.4 km out. Where Rattail Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.