Collins Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Thunder Bay District, Ontario, you have Collins Lake. It lies 373 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 8.72 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. Some 49 km of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. It ranks high for size among our Thunder Bay District listings. Nipigon lies 162 km from the water. Greenstone follows at 172 km, then Sioux Lookout at 179 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Collins Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Treat Collins Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -21°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. At Collins Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Frog Lake at 3.4 km is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Collins Lake for certain.