Fishing at Surprise Lake, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Surprise Lake falls in Kenora District, part of Ontario. Elevation runs to 429 metres. It runs to roughly 21 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Roughly 3.5 km of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Our Kenora District list holds plenty of bigger water. Start from Ignace, 50 km down the road. It is 207 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Surprise Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. 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 and white sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Read Surprise Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 18°C at the top of summer and -20°C at the bottom of winter. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Surprise Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Crystal Lake is 2.2 km off. Signs at Surprise Lake carry more weight than any list.