Mattice Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Mattice Lake sits in Thunder Bay District, out in Ontario. The country here is taiga. Surface area runs to roughly 1.24 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The perimeter runs near 8.7 km, so plan the walk before you start. The closest town, Nipigon, is 150 km away. Greenstone is 151 km and Geraldton 166 km. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Mattice Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Thunder Bay District, recorded fish include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Mattice Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 17°C in July and bottom out at -20°C in January. The season is measured in weeks rather than months. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Mattice Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Clearwater Lake sits 2.5 km off and takes the overflow. What applies at Mattice Lake may have changed since it was mapped.