Fishing Swanson Lake in Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Kenora District, Swanson Lake is an Ontario water. This is lake country bush country. Roughly 18 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Our Kenora District list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest place of any size is Dryden, 24 km away. Winnipeg sits 292 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Swanson Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. 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. Species logged across Kenora District include northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker and johnny darter. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Work Swanson Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 18°C and January at -18°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. From about late April to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. At Swanson Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Ardis Lake is 3.8 km distant. For Swanson Lake in particular, ask before you travel.