Rushbrook Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Rushbrook Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The setting is rolling bush on every side. With some 31 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Some 5.0 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. It sits higher than most water we list in Ontario. Grand Marais is the closest town at 63 km. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 75 km away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Rushbrook Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Public occurrence data for Thunder Bay District names cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Rushbrook Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 18°C, while January sits near -16°C. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Rushbrook Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Dorsalfin Lake, 2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. For Rushbrook Lake in particular, ask before you travel.