Splashwater Lake Fishing near Kirkland Lake, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Timiskaming District, Ontario, sits Splashwater Lake. The surface lies 331 metres up. Surface area is around 53 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. At about 6.2 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. The closest town, Kirkland Lake, is 11 km distant. Further out sit Englehart (48 km) and Iroquois Falls (73 km). The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Splashwater Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Timiskaming District include brook trout, northern pike and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Splashwater Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -17°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Splashwater Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Dunbar Lake at 0.7 km is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Splashwater Lake.