Fishing Jarvis Lake in Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  The Algoma end of Ontario holds Jarvis Lake. It sits in rolling bush. At about 51 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Around 8.5 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Sault Ste. Marie lies 23 km from the water. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 243 km distant. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Jarvis Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name walleye, northern pike and Iowa darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Anyone new to Jarvis Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -12°C and July at about 17°C, the water has a wide range to work through. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Jarvis Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Brilliant Lake sits 0.9 km off and takes the overflow. Where Jarvis Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.