Patton Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Within Rainy River District, Ontario, you have Patton Lake. It stands 388 metres above sea level. With some 62 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The shoreline runs about 5.2 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. The town to know is Fort Frances, 50 km out. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 261 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Patton Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Rainy River District: northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Patton Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 19°C and January reads -16°C. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. At Patton Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Hoard Lake is 0.9 km off. Check the current arrangement for Patton Lake.