Turtle Lake near Gravenhurst: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Out in District Municipality of Muskoka, Ontario, sits Turtle Lake. The water sits 231 metres up. The water covers some 30 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. It lies lower than most water we list in Ontario. For supplies, Gravenhurst is 6.3 km out. Bracebridge is 16 km away, with Amigo Beach at 26 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Turtle Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across District Municipality of Muskoka, recorded fish include pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, northern pike and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Turtle Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 19°C and January near -10°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about early December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Turtle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Loon Lake Wetland Conservation Reserve takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. 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. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Loon Lake, 1.1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Turtle Lake locally before you travel.