Upper Merrick Lake in Parry Sound District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Parry Sound District, Ontario, is where Upper Merrick Lake sits. The water sits 251 metres up. It measures about 15 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Nearest place of any size is South River, 30 km away. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 115 km distant. Nearby alternatives: Lower Merrick Lake some 0.7 km off, 1.9 km out stands Driver Lake, Perch Lake some 3.1 km off, 3.1 km out stands Dobbs Lake and Clear Lake some 3.4 km off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Upper Merrick Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Parry Sound District names smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Upper Merrick Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 18°C and January near -11°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It sets the rhythm of the year at Upper Merrick Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. A platform or pier sits within 570 m. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Lower Merrick Lake, 0.7 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Upper Merrick Lake.