Fishing at Scorch Lake, Hastings County, Ontario

• Overview

  Scorch Lake is set in Hastings County, Ontario. The ground round it is pine and birch. The water covers some 57 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The outline measures near 6.2 km, so local knowledge counts. Few waters listed in Hastings County are bigger. The big place round here is Barrie, 149 km distant. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Scorch Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Hastings County list rock bass, smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The near bank of Scorch Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 18°C on average, January about -12°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Anyone fishing Scorch Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A camping area sits within 230 m of here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Byers Lake, 1.5 km out. Confirm before you fish Scorch Lake.