Makoki Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District in Ontario is where Makoki Lake sits. Everything around it is taiga. It measures some 1.91 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The perimeter runs near 18 km, so plan the walk before you start. On our Thunder Bay District list it sits near the top for size. For supplies, Greenstone is 114 km out. Beyond it, Geraldton at 120 km and Longlac at 130 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Makoki Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Makoki Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 16°C, while January sits near -21°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. On average, early May opens the water and early November closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on Makoki Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Berger Lake is 4.8 km off. Treat access at Makoki Lake as something to verify.