Big Joe Lake Fishing near Manitouwadge, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Big Joe Lake is an Ontario water. It sits at 315 metres above sea level. Roughly 25 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. A shoreline of some 4.4 km keeps the choices simple. Manitouwadge is the closest town at 30 km. For a city, Thunder Bay is 234 km off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Big Joe Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Big Joe Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 16°C and January reads -16°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan any trip to Big Joe Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Long Alice Lake sits 2.7 km off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Big Joe Lake for certain.