Fishing Lena Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Lena Lake sits in Thunder Bay District, out in Ontario. The surface lies 346 metres up. Surface area is around 13 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 1.6 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Thunder Bay District are larger. For a base, Longlac sits 15 km out. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 266 km distant. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lena Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater among the fish reported. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Lena Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 16°C; the cold one sits at -19°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lena Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. 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. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Appendix Lake is 2.4 km distant. Check the current arrangement for Lena Lake.