Ice Lake Fishing near Manitouwadge, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, sits Ice Lake. It sits in taiga country. Around 62 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The outline measures near 7.0 km, so local knowledge counts. Manitouwadge lies 29 km from the water. Then Hornepayne, 49 km, and Longlac, 104 km. Others close at hand: 2.3 km out stands Bissonnette Lake, Wabatong Lake about 2.8 km, 3.3 km out stands Quacker Lake, Monetoues Lake about 3.4 km and 5.2 km out stands Nega Lake. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Ice Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The shape of Ice Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -18°C in January up to 16°C in July. This far north the hard season runs and runs. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. At Ice Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Bissonnette Lake sits 2.3 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Ice Lake before loading the car.