Fishing at Ram Lake, Rainy River District, Ontario

• Overview

  Ram Lake sits in Rainy River District, out in Ontario. It stands 375 metres above sea level. The water covers some 82 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 3.9 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. You are 25 km from Atikokan. For a city, Thunder Bay is 168 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ram Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Rainy River District cover northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Ram Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 18°C and January near -17°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. From about late April to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Ram Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Antoine Lake sits 2.5 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Ram Lake locally before you travel.