Fishing at Drew Lake, Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  Drew Lake sits within Algoma in Ontario. It stands 309 metres above sea level. The water covers some 26 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 2.8 km keeps the choices simple. For supplies, Sault Ste. Marie is 57 km out. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 262 km distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Drew Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Algoma cover walleye, northern pike and Iowa darter. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Drew Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -13°C at the bottom of winter. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Drew Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Little Drew Lake at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. Treat Drew Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.