Cancer Lake near Schreiber: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District in Ontario is where Cancer Lake sits. The setting is boreal forest on every side. Roughly 27 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. At about 5.1 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Schreiber at 30 km is the nearest place to stop. After that come Terrace Bay at 41 km and Nipigon at 51 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Cancer Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Thunder Bay District names cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Cancer Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 16°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cancer Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Virgo Lake at 0.8 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Cancer Lake locally before you travel.