Fishing at Parsons Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  You will find Parsons Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The setting is taiga. At about 39 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The bank runs about 5.0 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The nearest place of any size is Schreiber, 14 km away. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 156 km distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Parsons Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Take Parsons Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 16°C and January near -17°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Parsons Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Louise Lake, 1.5 km away. Where Parsons Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.