Fishing Long Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Long Lake is one of the Thunder Bay District waters in Ontario. Everything around it is boreal forest. At roughly 135.52 sq km it ranks among the larger waters in the region. The bank is deeply indented, so shelter is easy to find in any wind. Few waters listed in Thunder Bay District are bigger. Start from Geraldton, 28 km down the road. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 211 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Fish Long Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -18°C in January. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Long Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Laughter Lake, 4.5 km away. The position on Long Lake is worth confirming on the day.