Fishing at Hicks Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Hicks Lake sits in Thunder Bay District, out in Ontario. It sits in taiga. It measures some 2.19 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The edge covers about 20 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Size puts it in the front rank of our Thunder Bay District list. The nearest place of any size is Shuniah Township, 33 km away. After that come Lappe at 34 km and Amethyst Harbour at 34 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Hicks Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Public occurrence data for Thunder Bay District names cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Read Hicks Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -18°C in January to roughly 17°C in July. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Hicks Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, McLeish Lake is 3.3 km distant. Nothing here settles the position at Hicks Lake for certain.