Haines Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Algoma in Ontario is where Haines Lake sits. It sits at 427 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 16 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. There is roughly 2.3 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. For supplies, Sault Ste. Marie is 45 km out. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 244 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Haines Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Algoma records list walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Haines Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -13°C and July at about 17°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Haines Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. 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. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Reclus Lake is 1.7 km distant. Check the current arrangement for Haines Lake.