Gaugino Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, sits Gaugino Lake. The bank gives way to spruce and muskeg. It measures about 25 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 4.7 km keeps the choices simple. The nearest place of any size is Manitouwadge, 10 km away. Further out sit Hornepayne (68 km) and Longlac (93 km). Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Gaugino Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Gaugino Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -17°C in January. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It sets the rhythm of the year at Gaugino Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Mose Lake, 3.5 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Gaugino Lake are worth checking on the day.