Rea Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Rea Lake is an Ontario water. The ground around here is taiga. The water covers some 66 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge covers about 5.0 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Head to Nipigon, 72 km away, for anything you forgot. After that come Greenstone at 88 km and Geraldton at 103 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Rea Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover 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. The near bank of Rea Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 16°C and January at -18°C. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Break-up near early May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Plan any trip to Rea 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. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Vanooyen Lake at 1.7 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Rea Lake.