Lac Oliver Fishing near Mattawa, Ontario

• Overview

  Lac Oliver falls in Nipissing District, part of Ontario. Elevation runs to 245 metres. At about 12 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Shoreline comes to about 1.9 km, small enough to learn in a day. Supplies mean a trip to Mattawa, 33 km off. Deep River lies 63 km off, Chalk River another 70 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Oliver

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Nipissing District list smallmouth bass, cisco and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Lac Oliver a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Lac Oliver fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Lac Jackson at 2.4 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Lac Oliver if anything is unclear.