Hansi Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Hansi Lake sits in Thunder Bay District, out in Ontario. The land about it is spruce and muskeg. At 5 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Thunder Bay District standards. The nearest town is Nipigon, 6 km away. For a city, Thunder Bay is 97 km off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Hansi Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Hansi Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 17°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hansi Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Second Hansi Lake, 0.5 km out. For Hansi Lake in particular, ask before you travel.