Big Bend Lake near Atikokan: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Big Bend Lake is a Rainy River District water, Ontario side. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. It runs to roughly 36 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The full circuit measures close to 3.8 km on foot. Some 24 km away sits Atikokan, the nearest settlement. Ignace is 80 km away, with Ely at 91 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Big Bend Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Rainy River District, recorded fish include northern pike, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Big Bend Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 18°C, the coldest about -17°C. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Ice clears near late April and comes back about mid November in a typical year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Big Bend Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Twinling Lake is 1.3 km off. Confirm before you fish Big Bend Lake.