Fishing Cigar Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District in Ontario is where Cigar Lake sits. The land about it is northern bush. The water covers some 29 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 3.3 km of margin, front to back. The town to know is Manitouwadge, 49 km out. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 244 km distant. In the same area: Botham Lake within 1.2 km, Cache Lake 2.7 km, Moose Lake within 3.8 km, Handle Lake 3.9 km and Rous Lake within 4.6 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Cigar Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Thunder Bay District list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Cigar Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 16°C, with January the cold end at about -15°C. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. On Cigar Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. 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. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Botham Lake at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Cigar Lake in what we hold.