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

• Overview

  McCormick Lake lies within the bounds of Thunder Bay District, Ontario. It sits in boreal forest. Surface area runs to roughly 1.38 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. There is roughly 6.4 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. For supplies, Nipigon is 34 km out. Further out sit Schreiber (47 km) and Terrace Bay (60 km). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on McCormick Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Thunder Bay District, recorded fish include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On McCormick Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 16°C, with January the cold end at about -15°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at McCormick Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Petersen Lake at 1.8 km is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for McCormick Lake.