Fishing Chappelle Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Chappelle Lake is one of the Thunder Bay District waters in Ontario. The land about it is mixed forest. At 2.75 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. At about 25 km of edge, most people fish a single area and learn it well. Few waters listed in Thunder Bay District are bigger. Sioux Lookout lies 138 km from the water. For a city, Thunder Bay is 207 km off. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Chappelle Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Chappelle Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -21°C in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Time your trip to Chappelle Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Noname Lake, 4.4 km away. The position on Chappelle Lake is worth confirming on the day.