Harvey Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Harvey Lake is one of the Thunder Bay District listings for Ontario. The surface lies 288 metres up. Surface area runs to roughly 6.96 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. With about 30 km of shoreline, local advice saves a lot of walking. It is among the larger waters listed here for Thunder Bay District. The closest town, Greenstone, is 144 km away. Geraldton follows at 146 km, then Longlac at 147 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Harvey Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. 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 and bloater. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Harvey Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -21°C in January. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. The water is typically free of ice between early May and early November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Harvey Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• 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. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Thornbury Lake, 6.8 km out. Check the position on Harvey Lake before loading the car.