Fishing at McGaughey Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  McGaughey Lake lies in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The bank gives way to spruce and muskeg. Roughly 52 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. About 4.2 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It is high ground by Ontario standards. Lappe is the closest place, 40 km off. For a city, Thunder Bay is 61 km off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on McGaughey Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Treat McGaughey Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -19°C at the bottom of winter. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. The season on McGaughey Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Smiley Lake is 5.1 km off. Treat access at McGaughey Lake as something to verify.