Lake of Bays, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Kenora District end of Ontario holds Lake of Bays. Everything around it is lake country bush. At 43.40 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. There is roughly 179 km of bank, and each arm behaves like its own water. On our Kenora District list it sits near the top for size. Supplies mean a trip to Sioux Lookout, 47 km off. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 232 km distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lake of Bays

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Public occurrence data for Kenora District names northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker and johnny darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Lake of Bays repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -19°C in January and 18°C in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake of Bays.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Dry Lake is 2.7 km off. Nothing here settles the position at Lake of Bays for certain.