Mustela Lake Fishing near Longlac, Ontario

• Overview

  Mustela Lake is one of the Thunder Bay District waters in Ontario. Land around it is taiga. It measures some 1.30 sq km, and wind has room to build across it. The perimeter runs near 11 km, so plan the walk before you start. Some 34 km away sits Longlac, the nearest settlement. Then Geraldton, 53 km, and Manitouwadge, 55 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Mustela Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The shape of Mustela Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -18°C in January and 16°C in July. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish Mustela Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. 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. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Robb Lake at 4 km is the nearest alternative. Where Mustela Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.