Fishing at Herrick Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  You will find Herrick Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The country round it is spruce and muskeg from end to end. It measures some 5.10 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The perimeter runs near 13 km, so plan the walk before you start. It is among the larger waters listed here for Thunder Bay District. You are 59 km from Manitouwadge. After that come Terrace Bay at 89 km and Schreiber at 101 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Herrick Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Herrick Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -15°C at the bottom of winter. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Herrick Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. 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. Look for a notice board at the entrance. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Rule Lake sits 2.9 km off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Herrick Lake if anything is unclear.