Spruce Lake Fishing near Kenora, Ontario

• Overview

  Ontario holds Spruce Lake, in Kenora District. It sits at 321 metres above sea level. The water covers some 71 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. At about 6.3 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. The closest town, Kenora, is 7.2 km away. Winnipeg is the closest city, 185 km away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Spruce Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Kenora District records list northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker and johnny darter among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read Spruce Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -17°C and July at about 19°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Spruce Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Abernethy Lake is 2.1 km off. Check the position on Spruce Lake before loading the car.