Fishing at Lac Laberge, Timiskaming District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Timiskaming District, Lac Laberge is an Ontario water. It stands 274 metres above sea level. It measures some 1.93 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The shoreline runs about 10 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Size puts it in the front rank of our Timiskaming District list. Englehart lies 32 km from the water. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 199 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lac Laberge

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Timiskaming District, recorded fish include brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Lac Laberge the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -17°C in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Lac Laberge fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Lac des Abenakis is 5.1 km off. For Lac Laberge, the notice at the access point is the final word.