Bickford Lake Fishing in Rainy River District, Ontario

• Overview

  The Rainy River District entry here is Bickford Lake, in Ontario. The ground around here is lake country bush. Roughly 53 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With 6.7 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It is high ground by Ontario standards. Nearest place of any size is Atikokan, 46 km away. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 150 km away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Bickford Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Rainy River District cover northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Bickford Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 18°C and January reads -18°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Bickford Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• 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. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Horseshoe Lake sits 4 km off and takes the overflow. Signs at Bickford Lake carry more weight than any list.