Fishing at Runnalls Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Runnalls Lake falls inside Thunder Bay District. The water sits 324 metres up. Roughly 55 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. You are looking at roughly 7.0 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. 35 km away sits Manitouwadge, the nearest town. Beyond it, Terrace Bay at 70 km and Schreiber at 82 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Runnalls Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Runnalls Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 16°C; the cold one sits at -16°C. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Runnalls Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Teddybear Lake at 1.4 km is the nearest alternative. Signs at Runnalls Lake carry more weight than any list.