Bottle Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Bottle Lake in Rainy River District, Ontario. The surface lies 369 metres up. Surface area is around 41 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. For supplies, Ely is 40 km out. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 201 km away. More in the same country: Bass Lake (2 km), Iron Lake 3 km off, Brewer Lake (4.2 km), Dark Lake 4.6 km off and McAree Lake (4.7 km). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Bottle Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Rainy River District include northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Bottle Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 19°C, the coldest about -16°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Bottle Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Overnight stays are possible 880 m away. There is a toilet block some 1.5 km out. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Bass Lake, 2 km away. Nothing here settles the position at Bottle Lake for certain.