Willis Lake in Nipissing District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Willis Lake sits in Nipissing District, out in Ontario. It lies 300 metres above sea level. Surface area is around 34 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Around 5.0 km of margin, front to back. Nearest town is Ville-Marie, 59 km off. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 93 km off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Willis Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Nipissing District, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, cisco and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. On Willis Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -15°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Time your trip to Willis Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Denedus Lake is 2.9 km distant. What applies at Willis Lake may have changed since it was mapped.