Fishing at Koss Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Koss Lake lies within the bounds of Thunder Bay District, Ontario. This is pine and birch country. It measures some 3.08 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. With 20 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Size puts it in the front rank of our Thunder Bay District list. Some 64 km away sits Grand Marais, the nearest settlement. For a city, Thunder Bay is 96 km off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Koss Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Koss Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -16°C in January to roughly 18°C in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Koss Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. 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. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Scorch Island Lake is 4.3 km distant. Nothing on Koss Lake should be assumed from this page alone.