Forbes Lake near Kenora: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Forbes Lake sits in Kenora District, out in Ontario. What surrounds it is lake country bush. This is a pocket water of some 3 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Kenora District. The nearest place of any size is Kenora, 31 km away. Vermilion Bay is 59 km away, with Moose Lake at 98 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Forbes Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Kenora District include northern pike, longnose sucker and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The near bank of Forbes Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 19°C, with January the cold end at about -17°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Forbes Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Tower Lake, 1.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Forbes Lake as something to verify.