Shamattawa Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Kenora District, Ontario, sits Shamattawa Lake. The surface lies 88 metres up. The bank runs about 52 km in total, split between open shore and sheltered corners. Size puts it in the front rank of our Kenora District list. Attawapiskat is the closest town at 256 km. Kashechewan is 341 km away, with Chisasibi at 446 km. Nothing else of size sits close, so plan the day around this one. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Shamattawa Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Kenora District names northern pike, longnose sucker and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Shamattawa Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -24°C in January to roughly 15°C in July. The ice season is long here and the open one short. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid May. On average, mid May opens the water and early November closes it again. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Shamattawa Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Check the position on Shamattawa Lake before loading the car.