Fishing Jewel Lake in Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Jewel Lake sits in Kenora District, out in Ontario. Height above sea level is 467 metres. With some 13 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Bank access stretches around 2.4 km in total. It is a small entry by Kenora District standards. For a base, Ignace sits 58 km out. It is 152 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Jewel Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Kenora District include northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker and johnny darter. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Read Jewel Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 17°C, while January sits near -18°C. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Jewel Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. 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. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lower Squirrel Lake is 1.4 km off. Check the position at Jewel Lake before loading the car.