Fishing Pats Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  You will find Pats Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. Elevation runs to 460 metres. With some 20 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Around 2.7 km of margin, front to back. It sits higher than most water we list in Ontario. You are 66 km from Atikokan. After that come Grand Marais at 85 km and Ely at 94 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Pats Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. The county list is broader than any single water. On Pats Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -16°C and July at about 18°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Pats Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Redfox Lake at 0.9 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Pats Lake if anything is unclear.