Fishing Salt Lake in Hastings County, Ontario

• Overview

  The Hastings County end of Ontario holds Salt Lake. It sits at 379 metres above sea level. At 3 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Hastings County list. Head to Bancroft, 9.1 km away, for anything you forgot. The big place round here is Oshawa, 142 km distant. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Salt Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Public occurrence data for Hastings County names rock bass, smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Salt Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 19°C in July and bottoms out near -11°C in January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about early December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Salt Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Coe (Island) Lake at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Salt Lake if anything is unclear.