Benson Lake Fishing Guide, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Benson Lake sits in Kenora District, out in Ontario. The bank is 396 metres above sea level. The water covers some 13 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 2.4 km of margin, front to back. Our Kenora District list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest town is Dryden, 36 km away. Vermilion Bay lies 61 km off, Ignace another 83 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Benson Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Kenora District include northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Benson Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -18°C at the bottom of winter. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Anyone fishing Benson Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Harper Lake, 2.9 km out. The position on Benson Lake is worth confirming on the day.