Fishing Purva Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Within Thunder Bay District, Ontario, you have Purva Lake. The surface lies 454 metres up. The water covers some 14 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 1.7 km of margin, front to back. On size it sits at the modest end of our Thunder Bay District list. For a base, Nipigon sits 44 km out. Greenstone follows at 70 km, then Schreiber at 78 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Purva Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Purva Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 16°C and January near -19°C on the long-run figures. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Purva 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. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. The nearest alternative is Perky Lake, 1.5 km out. Check the position on Purva Lake before loading the car.