Tar Lake near Gravenhurst: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Tar Lake lies in District Municipality of Muskoka, Ontario. It lies 227 metres above sea level. Surface area is around 22 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Some 11 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Ground here is low by Ontario standards. The town to know is Gravenhurst, 24 km out. Bracebridge is 27 km away, with Penetanguishene at 31 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Tar Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for District Municipality of Muskoka include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Read Tar Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 19°C and January reads -10°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Plan any trip to Tar Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Pennsylvania Lake sits 1.4 km off and takes the overflow. Treat Tar Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.