Second Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Ontario, Second Lake falls inside Haliburton County. The bank gives way to mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 4 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Haliburton County are larger. Haliburton Village is the closest place, 14 km off. It is 114 km to Barrie, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Second Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Haliburton County records list smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow perch and lake trout among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Second Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 18°C and January near -11°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. From about mid April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Time your trip to Second Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Claypack Lake sits 1.8 km off and takes the overflow. Treat Second Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.