Blotter Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Blotter Lake lies within the bounds of Thunder Bay District, Ontario. Height above sea level is 337 metres. The water covers some 51 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. At about 6.5 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. The nearest town is Manitouwadge, 43 km away. Hornepayne is 60 km and Wawa 108 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Blotter Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Read Blotter Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -18°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That is the shape of the year on Blotter Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Kabossakwa Lake sits 2.3 km off and takes the overflow. Signs at Blotter Lake carry more weight than any list.