Huntsville Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Thunder Bay District end of Ontario holds Huntsville Lake. The bank gives way to boreal forest. At about 50 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge runs 4.5 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The town to know is Longlac, 57 km out. Geraldton is 63 km away, with Greenstone at 68 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Huntsville Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Huntsville Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -20°C and July at about 16°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Huntsville Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Park Lake, 3.3 km out. Confirm before you fish Huntsville Lake.