Sandy Lake Fishing near Manitouwadge, Ontario

• Overview

  Sandy Lake lies within the bounds of Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The setting is northern bush on every side. Small at around 5 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Thunder Bay District list. Manitouwadge lies 20 km from the water. After that come Longlac at 69 km and Hornepayne at 85 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Sandy Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Thunder Bay District list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Sandy Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -18°C to 16°C. Open water arrives late and leaves early, which concentrates the fishing. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Sandy Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Burn Lake at 1.1 km is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Sandy Lake.