Fishing at Caribou Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Caribou Lake is one of the Thunder Bay District waters in Ontario. The setting is mixed forest on every side. The water covers some 16 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. With about 4.7 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Thunder Bay District. For supplies, Terrace Bay is 75 km out. Manitouwadge is 78 km away, with Schreiber at 87 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Caribou Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Caribou Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -12°C to 15°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. On Caribou Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. 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. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Ahdik Lake at 6 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Caribou Lake.