Fishing at Williamson Lake, Rainy River District, Ontario

• Overview

  You will find Williamson Lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The water sits 440 metres up. Some 30 km of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. It is among the larger waters listed here for Rainy River District. Atikokan is the closest place, 24 km off. Thunder Bay sits 201 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Williamson Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Rainy River District include northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Williamson Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 18°C. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It holds true on Williamson Lake more years than not.

• 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. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Sunshine Lake is 3.5 km off. Ask locally about Williamson Lake if anything is unclear.