Fishing Shaule Lake in Algoma, Ontario

• Overview

  Look for Shaule Lake in Algoma, Ontario. It sits at 351 metres above sea level. The water covers some 22 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 5.0 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. For a base, Elliot Lake sits 30 km out. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 96 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Shaule Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Shaule Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 18°C; by January the average is down near -12°C. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at late November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Shaule Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Little Folson Lake, 1 km away. The position on Shaule Lake is worth confirming on the day.