McLaurin Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  McLaurin Lake is a Thunder Bay District water, Ontario side. It sits at 346 metres above sea level. The water covers around 3.02 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. At about 15 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. On our Thunder Bay District list it sits near the top for size. 146 km away sits Nipigon, the nearest town. Thunder Bay sits 205 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on McLaurin Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. 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. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Take McLaurin Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 17°C, with January the cold end at about -20°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Expect the water usable from around early May until roughly mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That is the shape of the year on McLaurin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. 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. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Mattice Lake is 3.5 km off. Confirm before you fish McLaurin Lake.