Straddlebug Lake Fishing in Lanark County, Ontario

• Overview

  The Lanark County end of Ontario holds Straddlebug Lake. It sits at 301 metres above sea level. Small at around 8 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The nearest place of any size is Renfrew, 34 km away. After that come Sharbot Lake at 44 km and Arnprior at 45 km. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Straddlebug Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Lanark County include pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Straddlebug Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 19°C and January at -12°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Time your trip to Straddlebug Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Stones Lake, 1 km away. Nothing on Straddlebug Lake should be assumed from this page alone.