Beaton Lake in Algoma: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Ontario, Beaton Lake belongs to Algoma. The bank is 368 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 2.29 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The shoreline runs about 20 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. On our Algoma list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Hornepayne, is 38 km distant. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 332 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Beaton Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Algoma cover walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter and yellow perch. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Beaton Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -18°C to 16°C. The ice season is long here and the open one short. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Anyone fishing Beaton Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Gourlay Lake is 9.1 km distant. Where Beaton Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.