Eris Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Eris Lake lies within the bounds of Thunder Bay District, Ontario. Country round the bank runs to taiga. At 1.30 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. The perimeter runs near 8.3 km, so plan the walk before you start. Supplies mean a trip to Manitouwadge, 42 km off. For a city, Thunder Bay is 236 km off. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Eris Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Eris Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Eris Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Buhl Lake, 3.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Eris Lake locally before you travel.