Rip Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Ontario, Rip Lake falls inside Thunder Bay District. Elevation runs to 327 metres. Roughly 14 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. A shoreline of some 1.6 km keeps the choices simple. On size it sits at the modest end of our Thunder Bay District list. Greenstone sits 67 km from the bank. Further out sit Geraldton (80 km) and Longlac (105 km). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Rip Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Rip Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -20°C to 16°C. Water stays cold even at the height of the year. After early May the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Rip Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Weewullee Lake is 1.1 km off. For Rip Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.