Fishing at North McCrea Lake, Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  North McCrea Lake lies within the bounds of Algoma, Ontario. The surface lies 439 metres up. It measures some 2.10 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The perimeter runs near 13 km, so plan the walk before you start. On our Algoma list it sits near the top for size. The nearest place of any size is Wawa, 69 km away. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 278 km away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on North McCrea Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Algoma: walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. North McCrea Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 16°C and January near -16°C. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to North McCrea Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, One Island Lake is 4.7 km off. None of that is settled for North McCrea Lake in what we hold.