Fishing Hindson Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Hindson Lake lies in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. This is boreal forest country. The water covers some 71 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. There is roughly 9.0 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Supplies mean a trip to Greenstone, 44 km off. Further out sit Geraldton (59 km) and Longlac (88 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Hindson Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of Hindson Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -20°C to 16°C. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Hindson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Wedlock Lake is 4.2 km distant. Nothing here settles the position at Hindson Lake for certain.