Cecil Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Cecil Lake sits within Thunder Bay District in Ontario. This is northern bush country. The water covers around 1.51 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Some 7.6 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Size puts it in the front rank of our Thunder Bay District list. Greenstone is the closest town at 75 km. For a city, Thunder Bay is 257 km off. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Cecil Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Cecil Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 16°C and January near -20°C on the long-run figures. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on Cecil Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Round Lake is 2.9 km distant. Rules at Cecil Lake are worth checking on the day.