Fishing Spruce Lake in Frontenac County, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Frontenac County, Ontario, this is Spruce Lake. The surface lies 268 metres up. Surface area runs to about 5 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Our Frontenac County list holds plenty of bigger water. Sharbot Lake sits 23 km from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Kingston, 79 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Spruce Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Frontenac County: pumpkinseed, bluegill, rock bass and smallmouth bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Spruce Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -11°C in January up to 19°C in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That is the shape of the year on Spruce Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Mannerheim Lake is 1.8 km distant. Check the position on Spruce Lake before loading the car.