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

• Overview

  McCausland Lake is one of the Thunder Bay District waters in Ontario. It stands 471 metres above sea level. The water covers around 2.25 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The edge covers about 12 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. On our Thunder Bay District list it sits near the top for size. Start from Ignace, 74 km down the road. Atikokan follows at 102 km, then Sioux Lookout at 121 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on McCausland Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On McCausland Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 17°C on average, January about -19°C. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Once it clears, about early May, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate figures give an open season running early May to mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Anyone fishing McCausland Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Little McCausland Lake at 3.5 km is the nearest alternative. Where McCausland Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.