My last visit to Sharbot Lake in Frontenac County was several years ago during the opening weekend of bass season. It was a memorable adventure and I’ve been eager to return and explore more of this scenic area ever since. As such, I decided that this year’s bass opener was a perfect opportunity to return to Sharbot Lake. 

Naturally, the plan was to target largemouth and smallmouth bass, but as the day unfolded, it turned into an exciting multi-species adventure for myself and my partner Eric.

Fishing Rules & Regulations: Sharbot Lake is part of Fisheries Management Zone 18. The fishing rules and regulations for this body of water can be found here.

Getting on the Water

The forecast was calling for strong winds early in the day, so we decided to head to the lake late morning and fish until sunset. We stopped in at Cardinal Café to grab takeout lunch en route to the water. The Crispy Chicken Wraps and ginger ale were delicious, by the way! 

We launched our boat at the Government Boat Launch. There are also two additional public launches including the Sharbot Lake Public Boat Launch, and the Sharbot Lake Provincial Park Boat Launch. All three launches are located in the western basin of the lake. 

The eastern basin is accessible through two small bridges (along Highway 38 and the K&P Trail) in the narrows. We navigated our 21-foot boat under the side-by-side bridges, though larger or taller boats might have difficulty passing through.

Our Fishing Adventure

Much like our previous outing here, it did not take us long to hook into some beautiful fish. As we began exploring the lake, we spotted fish on our electronics that were suspended 5-10 feet down chasing baitfish in around 30-40 feet of water. Eric was the first to put a smallmouth bass in the boat, and my first catch was a nice walleye. 

Both were landed on small soft plastic minnows rigged on light jigheads that we hovered and strolled high in the water column. All of our catches were released.

Another bonus species was a pair of lake trout for Eric. Both were caught in different areas of the lake in only around 20 feet of water, once again on small soft plastic minnows.

With part of the day spent exploring the western basin, we eventually made our way under the bridges into the eastern basin. This side of the lake is known for having more shallow water, making it ideal for targeting largemouth bass. We successfully landed a number of largemouth here, along with a few smallmouth bass, and northern pike. 

Bladed swim jigs (such as a ChatterBait) were effective in areas with scattered vegetation, around docks, and along shorelines. This was our most effective presentation of the day. Topwater baits, such as poppers, worked well on both largemouth and smallmouth during the evening when worked over submerged vegetation and along shorelines.

From very shallow waters to exploring deeper waters, we covered it all and experienced a great sample of the fishing opportunities found on Sharbot Lake!

Extend Your Fishing Trip

Although we visited the lake for a day trip this time around, there are several nearby options for those looking to extend their stay. During my previous visit a few years ago, I booked a Suite at Sharbot Lake Country Inn and had an enjoyable stay here.

Although I haven’t had the chance to stay at the following locations myself, here are some additional accommodation options in the area:

Mohawk Lodge
Sharbot Lake Provincial Park 
Rock Hill B&B
Lonesome Pine & Stillwater Cottages
The Cottages at Windrush

Storyteller:

Ashley Rae

Ashley Rae is a resident of the Ontario’s Highlands region. She is a year-round multi-species angler, writer, public speaker, and fishing guide. Ashley travels throughout the region and beyond documenting her fishing adventures on her blog, She Loves to Fish, as well as through her social media channels. She loves to connect with others who love fishing as much as she does.

Summer
Paddling