Fishing at Burchell Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Burchell Lake is one of the Thunder Bay District listings for Ontario. The surface lies 436 metres up. At 10.55 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. The outline measures near 32 km, so a boat opens up water the bank never reaches. On our Thunder Bay District list it sits near the top for size. The town to know is Atikokan, 76 km out. Thunder Bay sits 104 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Burchell Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Burchell Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 18°C on average, January about -17°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Burchell Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. 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. Should this one be busy, Hermia Lake is 3.4 km off. Treat access at Burchell Lake as something to verify.