Totten Lake near Blind River: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Totten Lake is one of the Manitoulin District listings for Ontario. The bank is 217 metres above sea level. With some 28 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 2.8 km on foot. It lies lower than most water we list in Ontario. Supplies mean a trip to Blind River, 34 km off. Thessalon is 48 km and Elliot Lake 66 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Totten Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Manitoulin District include rainbow smelt, lake whitefish, cisco and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The near bank of Totten Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 19°C, with January the cold end at about -8°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly early December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Totten Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, West Bass Lake is 1 km distant. Ask locally about Totten Lake if anything is unclear.