Fishing Mere Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Mere Lake is a Thunder Bay District water, Ontario side. Elevation runs to 486 metres. With some 19 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 3.2 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. For supplies, Ignace is 78 km out. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 139 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mere Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Mere Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is -19°C to 17°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Plan any trip to Mere Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Knuckle Lake, 0.6 km away. Where Mere Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.