Deerskull Lake Fishing Guide, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Ontario holds Deerskull Lake, in Thunder Bay District. Taiga runs right down to the water. With some 45 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The perimeter runs near 7.0 km, so plan the walk before you start. Nearest town is Longlac, 44 km off. Thunder Bay sits 235 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Deerskull Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Thunder Bay District names cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Take Deerskull Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -18°C and July at about 16°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Deerskull Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Devork Lake, 1.9 km out. Nothing on Deerskull Lake should be assumed from this page alone.