Fishing Royal Lake in Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Kenora District, Ontario, sits Royal Lake. It sits at 350 metres above sea level. It measures some 1.81 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The margin runs to about 13 km in total. The nearest town is Kenora, 40 km away. For a city, Winnipeg is 152 km off. Within easy reach: Gundy Lake a shade over 1.5 km, Tannis Lake a touch under 3.1 km, Moth Lake a shade over 3.2 km, Chat Lake a touch under 3.9 km and Nahany Lake a shade over 4 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Royal Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Kenora District list northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Royal Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 19°C and January near -19°C on the long-run figures. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Royal Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a campsite 1.1 km from the water. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Gundy Lake is 1.5 km off. Rules at Royal Lake are worth checking on the day.