South Beaver Lake Fishing near Haileybury, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Timiskaming District, South Beaver Lake is an Ontario water. It sits in lake country bush country. This is a pocket water of some 3 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Timiskaming District standards. Nearest town is Haileybury, 11 km off. Further out sit Temiskaming Shores (15 km) and Ville-Marie (20 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on South Beaver Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Timiskaming District cover brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work South Beaver Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -16°C to 18°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to South Beaver Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. North Beaver Lake at 0.5 km is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish South Beaver Lake.