Vanalstine Lake in Frontenac County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Vanalstine Lake is a Frontenac County water, Ontario side. This is lake country bush country. This is a pocket water of some 7 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. On size it sits at the modest end of our Frontenac County list. Supplies mean a trip to Sharbot Lake, 16 km off. The big place round here is Kingston, 76 km distant. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Vanalstine Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Frontenac County include pumpkinseed, bluegill and rock bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Fish Vanalstine Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 19°C on average, January about -11°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Vanalstine Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Cucumber Lake sits 1.1 km off and takes the overflow. For Vanalstine Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.