Waterhouse Lake in Hastings County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Hastings County end of Ontario holds Waterhouse Lake. It sits at 324 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 17 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The bank runs about 1.9 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. You are 2.3 km from Bancroft. Kingston is the closest city, 145 km away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Waterhouse Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Hastings County: rock bass, smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Waterhouse Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -11°C in January and 18°C in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly early December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Plan around that when you fish Waterhouse Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. You will be walking about 1.1 km from the nearest car park. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Vanluven Lake, 0.7 km away. Check the position on Waterhouse Lake before loading the car.