Fishing Ball Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Ball Lake is listed under Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The bank is 408 metres above sea level. About 2 hectares of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Thunder Bay District. You are 48 km from Greenstone. For a city, Thunder Bay is 169 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ball Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Ball Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 16°C on average, January about -20°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Ball Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Whitebark Lake at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. For Ball Lake in particular, ask before you travel.