South Lake in Peterborough County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for South Lake in Peterborough County, Ontario. The surface lies 234 metres up. Surface area is around 48 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Some 6.8 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. It lies lower than most water we list in Ontario. Norwood lies 22 km from the water. For a city, Oshawa is 104 km off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on South Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Peterborough County: rock bass, pumpkinseed and smallmouth bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On South Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 19°C and January near -9°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about early December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on South Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Black Lake is 0.7 km off. Confirm before you fish South Lake.