Pistol Lake Fishing Guide, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  This water sits in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The bank gives way to spruce and muskeg. Roughly 12 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. A shoreline of some 1.8 km keeps the choices simple. On size it sits at the modest end of our Thunder Bay District list. Manitouwadge is the closest place, 25 km off. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 245 km away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Pistol Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Pistol Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 16°C for July and -17°C for January. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan any trip to Pistol Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. 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. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Fakeloo Lake, 4.2 km out. Signs at Pistol Lake carry more weight than any list.