Eels Lake, named for Eel Cow, an Ojibwe chieftain, claimed this area and surrounding land as his family’s hunting and fishing territory in the early 1800s when logging came to the area. This beautiful lake provides a varying landscape from marsh to tall rock hills and is located between the Kawartha lakes and Haliburton Highlands region of Ontario, Canada. The lake is about 974.8 hectares, eleven kilometres long and has over fifty kilometres of shoreline. This spring-fed lake, is a reservoir lake for the Trent- Severn Waterway System, and fluctuates and average of ten feet each year. This means that the water is constantly being flushed out and circulated.

For the angler, the lake is deep enough in places for Trout and Pickerel (Walleye) and shallow enough in the many bays to provide habitat for Bass. The many islands and bays found in the lake make for ideal smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and Rock bass habitat. The lake also has natural population of lake trout, walleye, and yellow perch. In order to help preserve the natural lake trout population of Eels Lake, slot size and winter ice fishing restrictions are in place. Naturalists will enjoy the wildness of the area as well. Other than cottages and a few hunt camps, there are hundreds of hectares of crown land forests, and uninhabited lakes to explore. There are many opportunities to rent a canoe, kayak or paddle boat from Homestead Park to explore the region.

Eels Lake has high water clarity and good water quality, with Secchi depths usually ranging from 4 to 6 meters. Chlorophyll concentrations are generally low, indicating low algal biomass and a low risk of harmful algal blooms. Calcium concentrations are consistent at 7-8 mg Ca/L, lower than the regional average but not of immediate concern. Dissolved oxygen levels have been variable and the source of this variability is unknown and could be studied further. Temperature measurements in Eels Lake show a range from about 21°C at the surface to 4°C at the lake’s bottom. Dissolved oxygen is high in surface waters and very low in the deepest waters. Total phosphorus concentrations are generally lower than those seen in other Kawartha region lakes

Located right on the edge of the “Snowbelt”, the seasonal changes are amazing and in Spring, the forests and lakes come alive almost overnight. During the summer, you can find bays where the lake temperature is a very “swimmable” 22 degrees Celsius while Autumn can provide with some of the most spectacular scenery as the deep blue of the water contrasts with the brilliant reds, yellows, and golds of the leaves. Don’t forget the unforgettable snowmobiling and winter sports as well!

Come use our boat launch for your boat or rent a canoe, paddle or kayak from us to explore Eels Lake!