Fishing at Turner Lake, Nipissing District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Nipissing District, Ontario, this is Turner Lake. It stands 323 metres above sea level. At some 1.54 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Some 11 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. It ranks high for size among our Nipissing District listings. The town to know is Temiskaming Shores, 36 km out. Haileybury lies 38 km off, Ville-Marie another 49 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Turner Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Nipissing District list smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch, pumpkinseed and rock bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Turner Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 18°C on average, January about -16°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Turner Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Barter Lake, 2.2 km away. Confirm before you fish Turner Lake.