Lake Nipissing

Lake Nipissing is a lake in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is 910 square kilometres ( 565 square miles) in size and located between the Ottawa River and Georgian Bay. Lake Nipissing is the fifth-largest lake in Ontario excluding the great lakes. It is relatively shallow for a large lake, with an average depth of only 10 meters (30 feet). The shallowness of the lake makes for many sandbars along the coastline.

Related Topics:
Lake - Canadian province - Ontario - Square kilometre - Ottawa River - Georgian Bay - Sandbar

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The largest area of population on the lake is the city of North Bay. North Bay sits along the lakes northeast shoreline. Other notable towns are Callander (South of North Bay along route 11). The larger towns on the western side of the lake are Sturgeon Falls, Garden Village, Cache Bay and Lavigne. Lake Nipissing drains into Georgian Bay via the French River which is part of Lake Huron. Lake Nipissing lays about 15 miles northwest of Algonquin Provincial Park. The French fur trader Étienne Brule was the first European to visit the lake in 1610. The first permanent European settlement on the lake dates back to around 1874 on the southeast corner. In 1882 the Canadian Royal Mounted Police established their presence on the north east shore.

Related Topics:
City - North Bay - Callander - Sturgeon Falls - Garden Village - Cache Bay - Lavigne - French River - Lake Huron - Algonquin Provincial Park

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The lake contains over 40 different species of fish. Numerous sport fishing lodges line the shoreline and dot Nipissings many islands. Most anglers target walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie and pike. Since the walleye remains a fish highly prized for its tasty white meat, numerous stocking associations replenish Nipissings' clean cold waters.

Related Topics:
Walleye - Smallmouth bass - Muskie - Pike

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The lake's name means "little water" in the Algonquin language. The name Nipissing was given to many places in the area, notably Nipissing University, Nipissing District and the Township of Nipissing.

Related Topics:
Algonquin language - Nipissing University - Nipissing District - Township of Nipissing

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In the days of the fur trade, voyageurs travelled through the lake by canoe via the Mattawa and French Rivers. When the fur trade started to decline in the 1880's logging became the main economic activity. After the First World War the primary economic activity became tourism and recreation.

Related Topics:
Fur trade - Canoe - Mattawa - French River

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