Fishing at Bicknell Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Bicknell Lake is an Ontario water. This is taiga country. About 1.72 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. At about 9.0 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It is among the larger waters listed here for Thunder Bay District. The nearest town is Longlac, 64 km away. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 308 km distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Bicknell Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Bicknell Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 16°C and January near -19°C on the long-run figures. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Bicknell Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. 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. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Little Bicknell Lake at 2.5 km is the nearest alternative. Rules at Bicknell Lake are worth checking on the day.