Fourbay Lake near Manitouwadge: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Fourbay Lake is listed under Thunder Bay District, Ontario. It lies 294 metres above sea level. Roughly 1.04 sq km of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. The outline measures near 11 km, so local knowledge counts. For a base, Manitouwadge sits 27 km out. Terrace Bay is 76 km and Schreiber 87 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Fourbay Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. The county list is broader than any single water. Work Fourbay Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 16°C, while January sits near -16°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That is the shape of the year on Fourbay Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. 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. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Birston Lake, 3.3 km away. Where Fourbay Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.