Sawmill Lake Fishing near Terrace Bay, Ontario

• Overview

  Sawmill Lake sits within Thunder Bay District in Ontario. The country here is mixed forest. Roughly 17 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 1.7 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is low-lying compared with other Ontario water we list. Terrace Bay sits 13 km from here and is the nearest stop. Schreiber is 24 km and Manitouwadge 86 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Sawmill Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. The near bank of Sawmill Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -14°C to 16°C. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It holds true on Sawmill Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Jackfish Lake, 1.1 km out. Confirm before you fish Sawmill Lake.