Fishing at Hew Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Hew Lake falls inside Thunder Bay District. The bank is 483 metres above sea level. At about 28 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Shoreline length is close to 5.0 km, and each section fishes a little differently. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. The closest town, Atikokan, is 70 km distant. For a city, Thunder Bay is 119 km off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Hew Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Hew Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -16°C in January up to 18°C in July. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Hew Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Moose Lake, 1.1 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Hew Lake for certain.