Lac Seul?

Any info on Lac Seul available?

Lac Seul is a large, crescent shaped lake in Kenora District, northwestern Ontario, Canada. It is approximately 241 km (150 mi) long. It has a maximum (regulated) depth of 47.2 m, with a surface elevation of 357 m above sea level. It is the second largest body of water entirely within the province of Ontario (Lake Nipigon being first). The lake consists of open water bays, narrow channels, and islands. It is a relatively shallow lake with many rock shoals. This provides a good habitat for Walleye and Northern pike as well as Bass, Perch, and Muskie. Lac Seul is noted for offering some of the best fishing in Ontario.

Lac Seul is located on the former lake bend of Glacial Lake Agassiz. Owing to this previous lake, much of the bottom of Lac Seul is covered with thick deposits of lacustrine silts and varved clay of varying thickness. The water of Lac Seul is tea colored. In clear water Walleye only feed at dusk and dawn because of their light-sensitive eyes, but because of the tea color of Lac Seul, it provides excellent Walleye and Northern Pike angling opportunities throughout the day.

Lac Seul provides some of the finest trophy Northern Pike and Walleye and also provides access to the vast, practically untouched wilderness surrounding it.

The natural capacity of Lac Seul is augmented by the diversion of water from the Albany River drainage basin at Lake St. Joseph, allowing hydroelectric stations at Ear Falls where the English River leaves the lake, and Manitou Falls, 30 km downstream, to generate 90600 kW of electricity.

In fur trade days it was part of a canoe route west from James Bay: James Bay, Albany River, Lake St. Joseph, portage, Lac Seul, English River (Ontario), Winnipeg River, Lake Winnipeg.

Bob,

If you are going up…when and where are you going?

Thanks.

I will be heading up to Lac Seul June 12th and staying at Sioux Lookout. We will be fishing Sin Bay most of the time.

Any info as to water level,water temp.,what on and how deep will be appreciated.

Thanks for the Lake info.

Fished Lac Seul in the Ear Falls area from May 19 to 22, due to ice not gone in Mahkwa area, then moved to Mahkwa, and left on May 31. Ice left there about May 20. Water temps on open lake were at 35 degrees, with higher temps at 50 to 55 in some of the feeder bays. Boating over to Pine Island on May 23, 3 days after ice-out, we dodged a few icebergs, and water temps still at 35 degrees or so. Fishing in a couple of our hotspots was very slow, so we decided to give that area a few days to warm up before returning. Hit the warmer bays near camp and west of camp instead, and found that eyes were in pre-spawn or in spawn, and saw them rolling around a few shorelines. Plastics pitched into 3 to 5 feet of water took most of our fish at first, sometimes having two or three eyes following the caught one in. As the week went on, fish slid out a bit deeper to the 8 to 10 foot depths; assuming that was post-spawn. Then went back to Pine Island area about May 27, and surface temps had risen to 44 degrees, and it was game on in our favorite haunts, presumably pre-spawn or spawn, as males were heavily milting. Found the big fish in the 3 to 5 foot depths again, with majority in the 22 to 27 inch class, none bigger, and few smaller. all big fish released. Had a hard time catching eaters for our shore lunch, so we ate a pike as part of the mix. Two days later took us back to Pine, and had a mix of sizes, with about 50 percent under 18 inches, and rest in and over slot, and more fish in the 8 to 10 foot depth. So we learned a pattern on this system related to the timing of ice-out and water temps. Our group of 4 had a flat of crawlers, pound of leeches, and ten dozen minnows: in the end, most of the live bait was left over, as we all threw plastics for the whole trip, with great success.
By the way, pike were on a tear the whole time as well, with a 40 incer being the biggest, and numerous in the 32 to 36 inch class.
I would estimate that by the time you go, fish in Senn Bay and elsewhere in that part of the system will have dropped back to the 10 to 20 foot depths. fished there several times before, but usually later in the season, when we get them at 20 to 30 feet. Please let us how you do, so we too can expand our knowledge base. good luck…..I’m envious.