Fishing at Pape Lake, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Look for Pape Lake in Kenora District, Ontario. This is mixed forest country. The water covers some 37 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 3.6 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Sioux Lookout sits 6.2 km from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 269 km away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Pape Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Kenora District: northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker and johnny darter. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Pape Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -18°C to 18°C. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Pape Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Stain Lake sits 1.9 km off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Pape Lake.