Fishing at Bass Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Bass Lake sits in Thunder Bay District, out in Ontario. It lies 462 metres above sea level. The water covers some 10 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 1.9 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Thunder Bay District. Lappe sits 83 km from the bank. Thunder Bay sits 95 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Bass Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 18°C for July and -17°C for January. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That shapes the year on Bass Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Long Lake is 1.8 km off. What applies at Bass Lake may have changed since it was mapped.