Fair Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Rainy River District end of Ontario holds Fair Lake. It sits in rolling bush country. It runs to roughly 62 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The perimeter runs near 6.2 km, so plan the walk before you start. The nearest town is Atikokan, 37 km away. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 197 km distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Fair Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Rainy River District include northern pike, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Fair Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 18°C; by January the average is down near -16°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Fair Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Pelee Lake is 1.7 km distant. What applies at Fair Lake may have changed since it was mapped.