Fishing at Solitaire Lake, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Look for Solitaire Lake in Nipissing District, Ontario. It sits at 437 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 19 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Shoreline comes to about 2.2 km, small enough to learn in a day. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Ontario listings. The nearest place of any size is Mattawa, 34 km away. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 186 km off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Solitaire Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. 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. Nipissing District records list smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass among the fish reported. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Solitaire Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -13°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Solitaire Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A pier or jetty stands 1.4 km away, which helps on a crowded bank. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Dendroica Lake, 2.6 km away. Treat access at Solitaire Lake as something to verify.