Fishing Big Dawson Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  This water sits in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The bank is 308 metres above sea level. Around 17 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The full circuit measures close to 3.7 km on foot. The nearest town is Greenstone, 60 km away. For a city, Thunder Bay is 175 km off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Big Dawson Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Big Dawson Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -20°C in January. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It sets the rhythm of the year at Big Dawson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Little Dawson Lake is 1 km off. The position on Big Dawson Lake is worth confirming on the day.