McNutt Lake Fishing Guide, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, this is McNutt Lake. Land around it is northern bush. It measures about 57 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 3.7 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Longlac lies 22 km from the water. Geraldton is 45 km and Greenstone 58 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on McNutt Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On McNutt Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 16°C and January near -19°C on the long-run figures. The window is narrow, and fish feed hard while it lasts. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. McNutt Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Raynar Lake, 3.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on McNutt Lake before loading the car.