Fishing Raft Lake in Rainy River District, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Raft Lake belongs to Rainy River District. This is pine and birch country. Small at around 7 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Rainy River District are larger. The closest town, Atikokan, is 19 km distant. Ignace is 56 km away, with Ely at 115 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Raft Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Rainy River District include northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Raft Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 18°C, while January sits near -18°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Raft Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, High Lake is 1.5 km off. Confirm access to Raft Lake locally before you travel.