Fishing at Upper Cartier Lake, Renfrew County, Ontario

• Overview

  The Renfrew County entry here is Upper Cartier Lake, in Ontario. Land around it is pine and birch. With some 20 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 3.6 km keeps the choices simple. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Ontario listings. 16 km away sits Deep River, the nearest town. Chalk River is 21 km away, with Petawawa at 38 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Upper Cartier Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Renfrew County, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Upper Cartier Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 19°C, while January sits near -13°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. At Upper Cartier Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Opaque Lake is 1.5 km off. Treat Upper Cartier Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.