Fishing at Little Jarvis Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Little Jarvis Lake falls in Thunder Bay District, part of Ontario. The bank is 434 metres above sea level. It measures about 21 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is roughly 2.7 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. It is high ground by Ontario standards. Geraldton lies 39 km from the water. Thunder Bay sits 208 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Little Jarvis Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Treat Little Jarvis Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -18°C in January and 16°C in July. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That is the shape of the year on Little Jarvis Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Jarvis Lake at 2.1 km is the nearest alternative. Treat Little Jarvis Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.