Fishing at First Justin Lake, Timiskaming District, Ontario

• Overview

  First Justin Lake falls in Timiskaming District, part of Ontario. It stands 338 metres above sea level. With some 38 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 4.4 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Supplies mean a trip to Temiskaming Shores, 21 km off. Further out sit Haileybury (22 km) and Ville-Marie (34 km). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on First Justin Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Public occurrence data for Timiskaming District names brook trout, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On First Justin Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 18°C and January near -16°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on First Justin Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Second Justin Lake, 1.1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for First Justin Lake in what we hold.