Fishing at Foch Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Foch Lake sits within Thunder Bay District in Ontario. The country here is taiga. Surface area runs to roughly 1.41 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. There is roughly 17 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. You are 38 km from Manitouwadge. It is 301 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Foch Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Foch Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -18°C to 16°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice usually gives way near early May, and forms again about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. On Foch Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. 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. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Island Lake is 5.1 km off. Check the position on Foch Lake before loading the car.