Rainy Lake in Pasadena: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Rainy Lake lies within the bounds of Pasadena, Newfoundland and Labrador. It sits in pine and birch. The water covers around 1.50 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. With 8.4 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Compared with other Newfoundland and Labrador water on our list, it sits high. Pasadena lies 28 km from the water. Beyond it, Deer Lake at 36 km and Massey Drive at 44 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Rainy Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Pasadena include Arctic charr, rainbow smelt and Atlantic tomcod. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Anyone new to Rainy Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 14°C and February near -11°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid May. Climate averages put the opening at about mid May and the closing near late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan around that when you fish Rainy Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Grand Lake at 15 km is the sensible second choice. What applies at Rainy Lake may have changed since it was mapped.