Finn Lake in Algoma: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Finn Lake stands in Algoma, Ontario. The water sits 416 metres up. It measures about 44 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The whole outline is near 4.8 km, and most of it is walkable. Nearest town is Chapleau, 50 km off. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 284 km distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Finn Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Algoma include walleye, northern pike and Iowa darter. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Anyone new to Finn Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -16°C at the bottom of winter. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It holds true on Finn Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. 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. For a change of water, Curry Lake is 2.7 km distant. Signs at Finn Lake carry more weight than any list.