Fishing at Mike's Lake, Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  The Algoma entry here is Mike's Lake, in Ontario. The bank is 199 metres above sea level. At about 38 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 4.4 km keeps the choices simple. It is low-lying compared with other Ontario water we list. You are 35 km from Elliot Lake. Little Current follows at 36 km, then Espanola at 43 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Mike's Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Algoma, recorded fish include walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Mike's Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -10°C to 19°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Open water usually runs from late April until about early December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Mike's Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Caibaiosai Lake at 1 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Mike's Lake before loading the car.