Hilma Lake Fishing near Amethyst Harbour, Ontario

• Overview

  Hilma Lake belongs to Thunder Bay District, Ontario. It lies 374 metres above sea level. Roughly 35 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. About 4.0 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. For a base, Amethyst Harbour sits 24 km out. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 56 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hilma Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Thunder Bay District, recorded fish include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Fish Hilma Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -16°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Climate figures give an open season running early May to mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Expect Hilma Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Bare Lake at 1 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Hilma Lake.