Fishing at Lineal Creek, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Lineal Creek is a Thunder Bay District water, Ontario side. The bank is 310 metres above sea level. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. Most waters listed here for Thunder Bay District are larger. Head to Manitouwadge, 28 km away, for anything you forgot. After that come Terrace Bay at 79 km and Schreiber at 91 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lineal Creek

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Undercut banks hold fish that the middle of the river never will. Gravel runs and silted pools fish quite differently, so treat them apart. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Lineal Creek to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 16°C and January near -16°C. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Slack stretches skin over in the cold months, while the faster water stays open around early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Lineal Creek the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. 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. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Lineal Lake, 1.6 km out. Ask locally about Lineal Creek if anything is unclear.