Desolation Lake in Algoma: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Desolation Lake sits within Algoma in Ontario. It stands 449 metres above sea level. At about 24 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 4.0 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. The town to know is Wawa, 34 km out. For a city, Thunder Bay is 322 km off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Desolation Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Algoma include 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. Desolation Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -16°C. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. That is the shape of the year on Desolation Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lonely Lake at 0.9 km is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for Desolation Lake in what we hold.