Fishing Venalen Lake in Hastings County, Ontario

• Overview

  Venalen Lake is one of the Hastings County waters in Ontario. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. Surface area runs to about 9 hectares — small enough to read in one session. Bancroft sits 16 km from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Madoc at 58 km and Marmora at 59 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Venalen Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Hastings County records list rock bass, smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed among the fish reported. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Venalen Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -12°C in January up to 18°C in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Venalen Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Little Sunken Lake, 1.9 km away. Confirm before you fish Venalen Lake.