Stafford Lake in Kenora District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Kenora District, Ontario, this is Stafford Lake. The water sits 396 metres up. At roughly 7 hectares, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Kenora District. The nearest town is Dryden, 22 km away. Thunder Bay sits 304 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Stafford Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Kenora District, recorded fish include northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Anyone new to Stafford Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -18°C in January and 18°C in July. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Stafford Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Coates Lake, 1.9 km out. Treat Stafford Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.