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Top 5 Fall Fishing Locations

by Chris Huskilson

The angling opportunities available year round are simply astounding. The fall is a special time of year, however, and the scenery is simply breathtaking. With so many fishing destinations with over 350 lakes and rivers to choose from, here are my Top 5 Fall MUST fish locations.

Read on for the Top 5 Fall Fishing locations, or click here to get more local tips + comprehensive tips on fall fishing tackle & tactics.

Number 5–High Falls

GPS Coordinates: 44.588126, -78.070699

Put your canoe or aluminum boat in Eels Creek off Northeys Bay Road and head north to the High Falls. The scenery is breathtaking and the fishing is top notch as well! Bring your muskie tackle because this stretch is chock full of fish! Inline bucktail spinners and 6-8” crank baits imitating the cyprinid forage throughout the river will provide great success for anglers of all levels.

Photo Courtesy of Ontario Travel

Number 4–Lovesick Lake

GPS Coordinates: 44.555582, -78.203433

This little hideaway is tucked between Lower Buckhorn Lake and Stoney Lake. The beautiful rocky forested shorelines to please the victors eye. An often-overlooked stretch of the Trent-Severn Waterway that is absolutely loaded with bass, muskie, walleye, crappie and several other panfish species. Bring your arsenal because this little beauty has trophy fish in all of the above mentioned species. Put your boat in at the launch directly across from the Burleigh Falls Inn and enjoy the beautiful scenery this lake has to offer while catching your next Kawartha Legend.

Number 3–Burnt River

GPS Coordinates: 44.776225,-78.6844606

Launch your boat in Kinmount and make your way up the river. If you have a small boat or canoe, walk it down below the dam in Kinmount and make your way down stream. Be prepared to portage a few narrow sections of the river along the way, but all the effort is well worth it. Not only is the scenery absolutely majestic but several fish species reside within the river and are seemingly always willing to bite! Walleye, large and smallmouth bass as well as muskies abound, in high numbers and really great sizes! Your arms will be sore from reeling in fish!

Number 2–Stoney Lake

GPS Coordinates: 44.565477, -78.136769

Launch your boat at the public launch directly adjacent to Viamede Resort at the end of Mount Julian Viamede Road and let the adventure begin. Known as one of the most prestigious lakes in the region, Stoney offers some of the most picturesque landscape in the world! Not only is it an absolute pleasure to view but the lake also boasts a very healthy fishery! The bass, walleye and muskie populations are VERY good! Chris just recently fished a tournament event on the lake and over the course of the three days, Chris and his tournament partner landed over 300 smallmouth bass!

Number 1–Belmont Lake

GPS Coordinates: 44.486377, -77.817640

Launch your boat at the end of Mile of Memories Lane. Be sure to keep an eye open for wildlife on the way in as there are often deer grazing in the fields or wild turkey running about. This hidden gem of a lake is absolutely loaded with good sized pike and the occasional monster muskie. The bass fishing, both largemouth and smallmouth, is phenomenal. And did I mention the walleye population is just ridiculous? Located near Havelock, Ontario with travel times into town being 15-25 minutes on average. Travel time to the Greater Toronto Area is within 2 hours making this lake a very popular spot for those escaping the city for vacation rentals even during the off season! The size of Belmont Lake is 1872 acres with a maximum depth of 51 feet and mean depth of 20 feet. Belmont Lake is part of the Crowe River system, the Crowe (Deer River) enters the lake at the north from Cordova Lake, the North River enters from Round Lake and then exits as the Crowe River to the east heading into Crowe Lake. Just a beautiful little lake that offers some of the best fishing in the region! Shhhh… don’t tell anyone! For a great stop after a day of fishing, take a trip up to the north end of the lake and visit Belmont Lake Brewery. They’re a small craft brewery open on weekends. And always boat and drive responsibly!

Get more local insights & more comprehensive fall fishing tackle & tactics tips here.

Fall Ales and Trails

Every beer drinker knows a brew tastes better when you’ve earned it. Preferences also change by season—a crisp lager is never better than in the high heat of summer, and cooler weather makes a rich flavour like porter especially appealing. These fundamentals combine beautifully in Kawarthas Northumberland, where an abundance of hiking trails meets a range of craft breweries. If you’d like to work up a thirst on a trail or bring home a sampler after exploring the region, here are some recommended pairings.

Cycling Doube's Trestle Bridge on the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail

7 Trails to Try this Fall in Kawarthas Northumberland

Hiking is great year round, and depending on who you ask the biking season runs pretty late too. Some spots, though, beg to be visited in the fall when the leaves are at their peak. If no bugs, cool weather, and beautiful landscapes sounds like a winning combination, here are seven Kawarthas Northumberland trails to try before the leaves come down.

Canoeist paddles along the Trent-Severn Waterway

Paddle the Trent-Severn Waterway: Big Island, Pigeon Lake

One of the uncanniest sensations that canoeing creates in the mind of the paddler is the sense of being so close and yet feeling so far away. Something happens when you feel your weight transferred from the land to the water that tells your whole body and mind that you’ve entered a new realm at that in-between or liminal layer that’s neither air, water nor land. The rules are different here.

The song your paddle sings, whether it’s the rhythmic splash of the bow’s forward stroke, or the ripples and eddies of the stern paddle’s underwater return, helps guide the inveterate paddler to a mysterious realization. Even though you’ve left your dwelling and driven a ways to the put in, somehow, on the water, you’ve arrived – you are home.