McKergow Lake Fishing Guide, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District in Ontario is where McKergow Lake sits. The water sits 351 metres up. Surface area runs to roughly 1.16 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The edge covers about 8.5 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. The nearest town is Terrace Bay, 41 km away. Schreiber is 43 km away, with Geraldton at 66 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on McKergow Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read McKergow Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 16°C and January about -17°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on McKergow Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Salix Lake, 6.5 km out. For McKergow Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.