Patterson Lake in Algoma: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Ontario holds Patterson Lake, in Algoma. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. About 2.24 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 19 km, and each section fishes a little differently. It ranks high for size among our Algoma listings. Chapleau is the closest place, 81 km off. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 220 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Patterson Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Reported across Algoma: walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Patterson Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 17°C and January at -14°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Patterson Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Mart Lake, 4.2 km away. For Patterson Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.