Fishing Badge Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, this is Badge Lake. It stands 412 metres above sea level. Roughly 12 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 1.4 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Thunder Bay District are larger. Greenstone sits 54 km from here and is the nearest stop. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 162 km away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Badge Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Badge Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -20°C to 16°C. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Badge Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Bale Lake sits 2.3 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Badge Lake before loading the car.