Laughter Lake Fishing Guide, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Ontario holds Laughter Lake, in Thunder Bay District. The water sits 378 metres up. The water covers some 42 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 3.4 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Geraldton at 30 km is the nearest place to stop. It is 207 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Laughter Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Laughter Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -18°C at the bottom of winter. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Laughter Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Smile Lake at 2 km is the sensible second choice. For Laughter Lake in particular, ask before you travel.