Fishing Esker Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, this is Esker Lake. It sits at 327 metres above sea level. The water covers some 23 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Shoreline comes to about 2.8 km, small enough to learn in a day. 60 km away sits Greenstone, the nearest town. Geraldton is 72 km and Longlac 94 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Esker Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Esker Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 16°C; the cold one sits at -20°C. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Plan around that when you fish Esker Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is North Brennan Lake, 3.6 km out. Check the position at Esker Lake before loading the car.