Totem Lake Fishing Guide, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Totem Lake sits in Nipissing District, out in Ontario. It lies 398 metres above sea level. The water covers some 30 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 3.2 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The nearest place of any size is Powassan, 38 km away. After that come Mattawa at 41 km and South River at 43 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Totem Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Nipissing District include smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Treat Totem Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -13°C for January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That shapes the year on Totem Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A campsite is mapped about 180 m away, which makes an early start easier. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Sawbill Lake is 1.5 km off. What applies at Totem Lake may have changed since it was mapped.