Gauntlet Lake in Kenora District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Gauntlet Lake is listed under Kenora District, Ontario. It sits in pine and birch. The water covers some 59 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With 6.6 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. The closest town, Kenora, is 32 km distant. Moose Lake lies 72 km off, Lac du Bonnet another 95 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Gauntlet Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Kenora District include northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Gauntlet Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 19°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Gauntlet Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Oldcamp Lake at 0.7 km is the nearest alternative. Rules at Gauntlet Lake are worth checking on the day.