Smith Lake in Algoma: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Ontario holds Smith Lake, in Algoma. It stands 202 metres above sea level. At some 1.18 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The perimeter runs near 9.0 km, so plan the walk before you start. Size puts it in the front rank of our Algoma list. You are 29 km from Elliot Lake. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 108 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Algoma list walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Smith Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 19°C in July and bottom out at -11°C in January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Smith Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Mink Lake is 1.3 km distant. Treat Smith Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.