Fishing at Mainey Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Mainey Lake falls inside Thunder Bay District. Everything around it is lake country bush. It runs to roughly 25 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. A shoreline of some 2.6 km keeps the choices simple. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. Atikokan is the closest town at 92 km. It is 113 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Mainey Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Thunder Bay District list cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Anyone new to Mainey Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -18°C. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Mainey Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Overnight stays are possible about 720 m out, where camping is mapped. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Inwood Lake at 0.9 km is the sensible second choice. For Mainey Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.