Raff Lake in Algoma: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Raff Lake in the Algoma part of Ontario. The setting is taiga. It measures about 83 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. You are looking at roughly 8.8 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. 92 km away sits Timmins, the nearest town. Greater Sudbury is the closest city, 261 km away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Raff Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Algoma, recorded fish include walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Raff Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 17°C and January near -18°C on the long-run figures. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Raff Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Komak Lake, 3.4 km away. Nothing on Raff Lake should be assumed from this page alone.