Fishing Phillips Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Phillips Lake is a Thunder Bay District water, Ontario side. The bank is 347 metres above sea level. Roughly 84 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Around 5.1 km of bank, which is a long day on foot. Nearest place of any size is Greenstone, 88 km away. Geraldton lies 95 km off, Longlac another 109 km. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Phillips Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Phillips Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -20°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Ice clears near early May and comes back about early November in a typical year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It holds true on Phillips Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Summit Lake sits 9.2 km off and takes the overflow. For Phillips Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.