Antler Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Antler Lake falls inside Thunder Bay District. The water sits 415 metres up. Roughly 3.28 sq km of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. You are looking at roughly 23 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. On our Thunder Bay District list it sits near the top for size. Start from Sioux Lookout, 130 km down the road. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 203 km away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Antler Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Thunder Bay District, recorded fish include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Antler Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -21°C in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan around that when you fish Antler Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Wapikaimaski Lake sits 6.9 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Antler Lake are worth checking on the day.