Tanner Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Tanner Lake is set in Rainy River District, Ontario. Height above sea level is 365 metres. This is sizeable water at about 3.17 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. Some 18 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. 45 km away sits Atikokan, the nearest town. For a city, Thunder Bay is 191 km off. Neighbouring water: Andrews Lake 3.1 km, That Lake after 4.7 km, Minn Lake 5.9 km, Wink Lake after 6.5 km and Wicksteed Lake 6.6 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Tanner Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Rainy River District: northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Tanner Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 18°C, while January sits near -16°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Expect Tanner Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Andrews Lake sits 3.1 km off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Tanner Lake as something to verify.