Gerrard Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Gerrard Lake stands in Kenora District, Ontario. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. It measures some 1.24 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. Some 6.5 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. 45 km away sits Vermilion Bay, the nearest town. After that come Dryden at 54 km and Sioux Lookout at 81 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Gerrard Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Kenora District include northern pike, longnose sucker and white sucker. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Gerrard Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -18°C to 18°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Gerrard Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, St. Clair Lake is 5.7 km off. Confirm before you fish Gerrard Lake.