Jarvis Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Jarvis Lake in Kenora District, Ontario. It sits at 394 metres above sea level. The water covers around 4.75 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Around 26 km of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. Few waters listed in Kenora District are bigger. Some 41 km away sits Sioux Lookout, the nearest settlement. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 231 km away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Jarvis Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Jarvis Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 18°C and January about -19°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It holds true on Jarvis Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Crescent Lake, 3 km away. Confirm before you fish Jarvis Lake.