Professor Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  This water sits in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. It stands 398 metres above sea level. Roughly 16 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline comes to about 2.1 km, small enough to learn in a day. Most waters listed here for Thunder Bay District are larger. The nearest place of any size is Greenstone, 50 km away. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 170 km distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Professor Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Thunder Bay District list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Professor Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -18°C to 16°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Professor Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Cowan Lake, 2.8 km away. For Professor Lake in particular, ask before you travel.