Wagosh Lake in Manitoulin District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Wagosh Lake sits in Manitoulin District, out in Ontario. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. At about 23 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 2.9 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. It is low-lying compared with other Ontario water we list. Thessalon at 39 km is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 201 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Wagosh Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Manitoulin District records list rainbow smelt, lake whitefish, cisco and yellow perch among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Wagosh Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 19°C and January at -8°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near mid December in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Wagosh Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Bass Lake is 7.7 km distant. Check the position on Wagosh Lake before loading the car.