Fishing Second Kargus Lake in Renfrew County, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Second Kargus Lake falls inside Renfrew County. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. The water covers some 15 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 2.1 km of margin, front to back. The nearest town is Eganville, 30 km away. Then Cobden, 49 km, and Bancroft, 51 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Second Kargus Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Renfrew County list smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Second Kargus Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 18°C in July and bottom out at -12°C in January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about early December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Second Kargus Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. First Kargus Lake sits 1.2 km off and takes the overflow. Signs at Second Kargus Lake carry more weight than any list.