Sturgeon Lake

Sturgeon Lake combines boating and paddling with waterfront access in several established communities. Bobcaygeon Beach Park includes a beach, boat launch, docking, playground and walking trail, while municipal paddling rentals allow visitors to explore Sturgeon Lake and the waterways around Bobcaygeon. Fenelon Falls also provides paddling routes that lead through the Fenelon River and into Sturgeon Lake (City of Kawartha Lakes, n.d.-a, n.d.-b).

Sturgeon Lake is especially interesting for boating because routes leave the lake in several directions. At Fenelon Falls, Lock 34 provides passage toward Cameron Lake; at Bobcaygeon, Lock 32 connects boaters toward Pigeon Lake; and the Scugog River leads south toward Lindsay and Lock 33. These connections allow boaters to continue through the Trent–Severn system without removing the boat from the water (Parks Canada, 2022; City of Kawartha Lakes, n.d.-c).

Sturgeon Lake supports a warm- and cool-water fish community. Kawartha Conservation documents muskellunge, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass, rock bass, black crappie and bluegill, among other species. Walleye were introduced to the Kawartha Lakes in the 1930s, while connections created by the Trent–Severn system have also allowed several species to expand their ranges through the connected lakes (Kawartha Conservation, 2014).

Bobcaygeon Beach Park provides one of the clearest public swimming opportunities directly on Sturgeon Lake. The municipal park includes a beach along with docking, a boat launch, picnic tables, playground equipment, washrooms and a walking trail, making swimming part of a broader village waterfront experience rather than an isolated beach visit (City of Kawartha Lakes, n.d.-d).