Lake St. Joseph Fishing Guide, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Lake St. Joseph is listed under Kenora District, Ontario. Around the bank it is rolling bush. It covers about 506.21 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. There is far more edge than the surface area suggests, thanks to the arms. It ranks high for size among our Kenora District listings. For supplies, Sioux Lookout is 131 km out. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 318 km away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lake St. Joseph

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. 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. Survey and observation records for Kenora District include northern pike, longnose sucker and white sucker. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Lake St. Joseph that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -20°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. 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. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake St. Joseph.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Pembina Lake is 13 km off. None of that is settled for Lake St. Joseph in what we hold.