Fishing at West Little Lake, Bruce County, Ontario

• Overview

  Bruce County in Ontario is where West Little Lake sits. What surrounds it is pine and birch. With some 27 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 2.1 km keeps the choices simple. Ground here is low by Ontario standards. Wiarton sits 28 km from the bank. Barrie is the closest city, 146 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on West Little Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Bruce County records list smallmouth bass, lake whitefish, humpback whitefish, rainbow smelt and white sucker among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At West Little Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -6°C in February up to 19°C in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to mid December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Time your trip to West Little Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A camping area sits within 1.1 km of here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Rowes Lake is 6.5 km distant. Rules at West Little Lake are worth checking on the day.