High Lake in Algoma: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Ontario, High Lake belongs to Algoma. The surface lies 409 metres up. About 9 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Our Algoma list holds plenty of bigger water. For a base, Sault Ste. Marie sits 43 km out. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 223 km away. Nearest other option: 0.9 km away is Paquette Lake, Spring Lake 2.2 km, 2.3 km away is Boat Lake, Red Rock Lake 2.3 km and 3.2 km away is Fern Lake. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on High Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Algoma: walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. High Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 17°C, with January the cold end at about -12°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on High Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Paquette Lake at 0.9 km is the sensible second choice. Where High Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.