Fishing Coffee Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Coffee Lake lies within the bounds of Thunder Bay District, Ontario. It stands 221 metres above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 2 hectares, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Thunder Bay District. Schreiber is the closest place, 15 km off. For a city, Thunder Bay is 139 km off. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Coffee Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Coffee Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -13°C to 16°C. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It holds true on Coffee Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Little Lake at 7.7 km is the sensible second choice. Treat Coffee Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.