Fishing at North Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  North Lake is a Thunder Bay District water, in Ontario. It sits in rolling bush. It sits higher than most water we list in Ontario. Grand Marais is the closest place, 44 km off. For a city, Thunder Bay is 99 km off. Round about: Shekaka Lake 1.8 km off, 2.5 km away is South Lake, Rat Lake 3.2 km off, 4 km away is Little North Lake and Mucker Lake 4.1 km off. No boundary runs near, so the local rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on North Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Thunder Bay District, recorded fish include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At North Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -15°C in January to roughly 18°C in July. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about late April to mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Time your trip to North Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Shekaka Lake, 1.8 km away. Signs at North Lake carry more weight than any list.