Antler Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Antler Lake sits in Thunder Bay District, out in Ontario. The ground around here is taiga. The water covers some 17 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 2.5 km keeps the choices simple. For supplies, Schreiber is 13 km out. Further out sit Terrace Bay (25 km) and Nipigon (64 km). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Antler Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Thunder Bay District list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. The county list is broader than any single water. Anyone new to Antler Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -16°C in January up to 16°C in July. The ice season is long here and the open one short. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Antler Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Sox Lake at 1.5 km is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Antler Lake for certain.