Smyth Lake in Parry Sound District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Parry Sound District, Ontario, sits Smyth Lake. It sits in lake country bush country. It measures some 1.54 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. With 12 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It is among the larger waters listed here for Parry Sound District. The closest town, Powassan, is 12 km distant. After that come South River at 17 km and Callander at 30 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Smyth Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. Anyone new to Smyth Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -12°C for January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Smyth Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. 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. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Music Lake is 1.7 km distant. Rules at Smyth Lake are worth checking on the day.