Fishing Woods Lake in Hastings County, Ontario

• Overview

  Woods Lake falls in Hastings County, part of Ontario. It lies 350 metres above sea level. It covers about 8 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. There is roughly 1.7 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Nearest town is Bancroft, 18 km off. The nearest city of size is Kingston, 125 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Woods Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Hastings County records list rock bass, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow perch among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Woods Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -11°C and July at about 19°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about early December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Woods Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Jocko Lake is 1.8 km off. Ask locally about Woods Lake if anything is unclear.