Turf Lake Fishing Guide, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Turf Lake is a Nipissing District water, Ontario side. Land around it is mixed forest. Surface area runs to about 8 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Nipissing District are larger. Bancroft at 38 km is the nearest place to stop. After that come United Townships of Dysart, Dudley, Harcourt, Guilford, Harburn, Bruton, Havelock, Eyre and Clyde at 38 km and Haliburton Village at 54 km. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Turf Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The near bank of Turf Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 18°C, while January sits near -12°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Turf Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The slipway at McKenzie Lake Boat Launch is 790 m away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Taylor Lake at 2.1 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Turf Lake.