Fishing Bailey Lake in Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  The Algoma end of Ontario holds Bailey Lake. It lies 293 metres above sea level. Roughly 25 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 3.9 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Nearest place of any size is Thessalon, 16 km away. After that come Blind River at 49 km and Sault Ste. Marie at 64 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Bailey Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Algoma cover walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Bailey Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -11°C at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. The season on Bailey Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Rainbow Lake is 3.1 km off. Signs at Bailey Lake carry more weight than any list.