Widow Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Widow Lake in Lanark County, Ontario. The water sits 185 metres up. Surface area is around 22 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The whole outline is near 3.6 km, and most of it is walkable. Ground here is low by Ontario standards. Supplies mean a trip to Renfrew, 36 km off. Then Mississippi Mills, 39 km, and Almonte, 40 km. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Widow Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Lanark County include pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Widow Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 19°C and January near -11°C. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on Widow Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Facilities run to toilets 160 m from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Cheney Lake is 2.4 km distant. For Widow Lake in particular, ask before you travel.