Fishing McLeish Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, McLeish Lake is an Ontario water. The surface lies 454 metres up. Roughly 1.78 sq km of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. The edge covers about 17 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. On our Thunder Bay District list it sits near the top for size. Shuniah Township lies 30 km from the water. For a city, Thunder Bay is 47 km off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on McLeish Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On McLeish Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 17°C and January near -18°C. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Plan any trip to McLeish Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Swarbrick Lake is 3.1 km distant. Check the position on McLeish Lake before loading the car.