Fishing at Tag Lake, Kenora District, Ontario

• Overview

  Tag Lake belongs to Kenora District, Ontario. Elevation runs to 432 metres. With some 35 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 2.2 km keeps the choices simple. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. Ignace sits 40 km from the bank. It is 203 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Tag Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Kenora District cover northern pike, longnose sucker, white sucker and johnny darter. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Read Tag Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 18°C and January near -19°C. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. From about late April to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Tag Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Upper Swanzy Lake sits 3 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Tag Lake before loading the car.