Gracie Lake Fishing near Manitouwadge, Ontario

• Overview

  The Thunder Bay District end of Ontario holds Gracie Lake. The bank gives way to northern bush. With some 48 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 4.5 km keeps the choices simple. Nearest town is Manitouwadge, 24 km off. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 280 km away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Gracie Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Gracie Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 16°C, while January sits near -18°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Gracie Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Candybar Lake, 1.7 km away. Check the current arrangement for Gracie Lake.