McWhinney Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  McWhinney Lake is a Thunder Bay District water, in Ontario. Height above sea level is 429 metres. About 1.47 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Some 15 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. The nearest town is Lappe, 39 km away. Shuniah Township lies 41 km off, Amethyst Harbour another 44 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on McWhinney Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Thunder Bay District list cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish McWhinney Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 17°C in July and bottoms out near -18°C in January. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Anyone fishing McWhinney Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Keelor Lake, 2.8 km away. Check the position at McWhinney Lake before loading the car.