Fishing Hanover Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Hanover Lake lies in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. Taiga runs right down to the water. It covers about 13.08 sq km, which means weather matters as much as tactics. There is roughly 28 km of bank, and each arm behaves like its own water. Size puts it in the front rank of our Thunder Bay District list. Greenstone at 72 km is the nearest place to stop. Then Geraldton, 74 km, and Longlac, 79 km. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Hanover Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Thunder Bay District, recorded fish include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Hanover Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -20°C in January up to 16°C in July. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Hanover Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Mills Lake sits 3.7 km off and takes the overflow. Rules at Hanover Lake are worth checking on the day.