Fishing Racey Lake in Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador

• Overview

  Racey Lake lies in Wabush, in Newfoundland and Labrador. It sits in taiga country. It covers about 15.31 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. The perimeter is close to 42 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. By size it stands out even at Newfoundland and Labrador level. Supplies mean a trip to Wabush, 60 km off. The nearest city of size is Saguenay, 599 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Racey Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Wabush cover lake whitefish, Atlantic salmon, brook trout and longnose sucker. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Racey Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 13°C and January at -23°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late May. On average, late May opens the water and late October closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Racey Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Nowell Lake, 9.3 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Racey Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.