Fishing at Pistol Lake, Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  Pistol Lake lies in Algoma, in Ontario. It sits at 321 metres above sea level. The water covers some 79 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. At about 6.8 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. For a base, Elliot Lake sits 16 km out. The big place round here is Greater Sudbury, 143 km distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Pistol Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. 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. County-wide records name walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Pistol Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -11°C for January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Pistol Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Norse Lake at 1.6 km is the nearest alternative. For Pistol Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.