Penassi Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Timiskaming District end of Ontario holds Penassi Lake. It sits in lake country bush country. At 2.23 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. At about 18 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. On our Timiskaming District list it sits near the top for size. Nearest town is Englehart, 77 km off. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 139 km away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Penassi Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Timiskaming District include brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Penassi Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -17°C in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Penassi Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Thompson Lake at 4 km is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Penassi Lake should be assumed from this page alone.