Hatchet Lake near Red Lake: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Hatchet Lake lies in Kenora District, Ontario. It lies 394 metres above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 3.37 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. You have roughly 26 km of edge to choose from, which rewards a scouting trip. For a base, Red Lake sits 32 km out. The nearest city of size is Winnipeg, 237 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Hatchet Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Kenora District records list northern pike, longnose sucker and white sucker among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Hatchet Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -20°C and July at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Hatchet Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Douglas Lake, 2.7 km away. None of that is settled for Hatchet Lake in what we hold.