Horley Lake Fishing Guide, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Within Kenora District, Ontario, you have Horley Lake. Elevation runs to 247 metres. This is sizeable water at about 5.02 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. At about 14 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Size puts it in the front rank of our Kenora District list. The town to know is Greenstone, 339 km out. Geraldton lies 344 km off, Longlac another 348 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Horley Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Kenora District include northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Read Horley Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -22°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid May. Averages suggest open water from about mid May through to roughly early November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Horley Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Palanek Lake, 8.4 km out. Signs at Horley Lake carry more weight than any list.