Bonner Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, this is Bonner Lake. It lies 256 metres above sea level. It measures some 2.64 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. You are looking at roughly 8.2 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. On our Thunder Bay District list it sits near the top for size. 46 km away sits Nipigon, the nearest town. Greenstone follows at 86 km, then Schreiber at 101 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Bonner Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Bonner Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 16°C and January near -18°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It holds true on Bonner Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Beartrap Lake at 3.8 km is the sensible second choice. What applies at Bonner Lake may have changed since it was mapped.