West Pete Lake Fishing near Atikokan, Ontario

• Overview

  West Pete Lake is one of the Rainy River District waters in Ontario. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. The water covers some 13 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 1.8 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Our Rainy River District list holds plenty of bigger water. 4 km away sits Atikokan, the nearest town. Ignace lies 70 km off, Ely another 100 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on West Pete Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Rainy River District include northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At West Pete Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 18°C, with January the cold end at about -17°C. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. West Pete Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Pal Lake, 0.7 km away, makes the obvious fallback. For West Pete Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.