Fishing Austin Lake in Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  Austin Lake lies in Algoma, Ontario. It sits in rolling bush. The water covers some 48 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. At about 8.3 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It sits higher than most water we list in Ontario. The nearest place of any size is Wawa, 62 km away. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 276 km away. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Austin Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Algoma include walleye, northern pike and Iowa darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Austin Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -14°C in January and 16°C in July. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The water is typically free of ice between late April and mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Austin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Masalin Lake at 1.9 km is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for Austin Lake in what we hold.