Flood Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Flood Lake stands in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. It lies 347 metres above sea level. This is sizeable water at about 1.92 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. At about 14 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Size puts it in the front rank of our Thunder Bay District list. Start from Manitouwadge, 52 km down the road. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 287 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Flood Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco among the fish reported. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Flood Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -18°C. Winter runs most of the calendar, and everything worth doing happens in the gap. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Flood Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Little Flood Lake is 1.5 km off. Rules at Flood Lake are worth checking on the day.