Friendly Lake Fishing near Wawa, Ontario

• Overview

  Friendly Lake sits in Algoma, out in Ontario. The country round it is spruce and muskeg from end to end. Roughly 18 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The full circuit measures close to 2.6 km on foot. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. The nearest town is Wawa, 55 km away. After that come Hornepayne at 83 km and Manitouwadge at 100 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Friendly Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Algoma names walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Friendly Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -17°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. On Friendly Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Summit Lake at 2.1 km is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Friendly Lake before loading the car.