Fishing at Swi Lake, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Kenora District, Ontario, this is Swi Lake. Everything around it is mixed forest. At about 28 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 2.2 km keeps the choices simple. On size it sits at the modest end of our Kenora District list. Sioux Lookout is the closest place, 18 km off. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 268 km distant. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Swi Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Kenora District names northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker, johnny darter and logperch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Swi Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 18°C and January reads -18°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On Swi Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Kabik Lake, 2.9 km out. Ask locally about Swi Lake if anything is unclear.