Fishing at Pan Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District, Ontario, is where Pan Lake sits. Taiga runs right down to the water. At some 1.05 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. The whole outline is near 4.4 km, and most of it is walkable. For a base, Manitouwadge sits 31 km out. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 247 km away. Also worth knowing: Alberta Lake just 3.6 km, Ishkodewabo Lake some 4.8 km off, Lineal Lake just 6.9 km, Lineal Creek some 6.9 km off and Pinegrove Lake just 7 km. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Pan Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Pan Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -16°C to 16°C. This far north the hard season runs and runs. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Pan Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Alberta Lake, 3.6 km away. Treat access at Pan Lake as something to verify.