Fishing at Mellish Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District in Ontario is where Mellish Lake sits. It sits at 324 metres above sea level. It measures some 1.14 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. Around 7.1 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Nearest place of any size is Greenstone, 133 km away. For a city, Thunder Bay is 304 km off. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Mellish Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Thunder Bay District names cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Mellish Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 16°C and January near -21°C. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near early November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Mellish Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Maxon Lake sits 1.6 km off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Mellish Lake.