Clegge Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Clegge Lake is a Thunder Bay District water, Ontario side. The country round it is spruce and muskeg from end to end. Around 18 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The whole outline is near 2.3 km, and most of it is walkable. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. Head to Amethyst Harbour, 24 km away, for anything you forgot. Beyond it, Shuniah Township at 37 km and Current River at 45 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Clegge Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Clegge Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -16°C to 17°C. Cold dominates the year and the fishing works around it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Clegge Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Long Lake is 1.1 km off. Where Clegge Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.