Tallspruce Lake Fishing in Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Ontario holds Tallspruce Lake, in Nipissing District. The water sits 384 metres up. At 5 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Nipissing District list. Supplies mean a trip to Mattawa, 25 km off. Greater Sudbury sits 198 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Tallspruce Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Nipissing District cover smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to Tallspruce Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -13°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Anyone fishing Tallspruce Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Second Twin Pond, 2.4 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Tallspruce Lake.