Fishing at Packsack Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Ontario holds Packsack Lake, in Thunder Bay District. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. The water measures roughly 5 hectares, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Thunder Bay District. Schreiber is the closest town at 5.8 km. Further out sit Terrace Bay (18 km) and Nipigon (71 km). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Packsack Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Packsack Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 15°C, while January sits near -13°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Packsack Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Bentarm Lake at 0.3 km is the sensible second choice. What applies at Packsack Lake may have changed since it was mapped.