Fishing Highcliff Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Highcliff Lake lies within the bounds of Thunder Bay District, Ontario. Everything around it is lake country bush. The water covers some 12 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The whole outline is near 1.5 km, and most of it is walkable. On size it sits at the modest end of our Thunder Bay District list. The closest town, Lappe, is 68 km distant. For a city, Thunder Bay is 77 km off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Highcliff Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Highcliff Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -17°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Highcliff Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Andy Lake is 1 km distant. Check the position at Highcliff Lake before loading the car.