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

• Overview

  Emily Lake stands in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. Land around it is taiga. It measures about 32 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is roughly 2.9 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Greenstone at 65 km is the nearest place to stop. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 241 km away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Emily Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Emily Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 16°C, with January the cold end at about -20°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Time your trip to Emily Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Girvan Lake is 3.3 km off. For Emily Lake in particular, ask before you travel.