Little Shell Lake Fishing Guide, Rainy River District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Rainy River District, Little Shell Lake is an Ontario water. The country here is pine and birch. With some 37 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. For a base, Ely sits 42 km out. Thunder Bay sits 219 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Others close at hand: Lynx Lake within 1 km, Shell Lake after 1.3 km, Agawato Lake within 1.4 km, Dogfish Lake after 1.9 km and Warpaint Lake within 2.3 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Little Shell Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Public occurrence data for Rainy River District names northern pike, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Little Shell Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 19°C and January reads -16°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Little Shell Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Overnight stays are possible 260 m away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Lynx Lake at 1 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Little Shell Lake is worth confirming on the day.