Pants Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District, Ontario, is where Pants Lake sits. Elevation runs to 355 metres. It measures about 18 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. About 3.0 km of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. Manitouwadge sits 50 km from the bank. For a city, Thunder Bay is 281 km off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Pants Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Pants Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between -17°C in January and 16°C in July. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Expect Pants Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Mephitis Lake is 1 km distant. Where Pants Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.