Fishing at Bullring Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  The Thunder Bay District end of Ontario holds Bullring Lake. The surface lies 315 metres up. At 7 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Thunder Bay District list. The nearest town is Manitouwadge, 40 km away. It is 253 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Bullring Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include 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. On Bullring Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 16°C and January near -16°C. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Bullring Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Barbara Lake sits 2.3 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Bullring Lake is worth confirming on the day.