Fishing at Secret Lake, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, this is Secret Lake. Spruce and muskeg runs right down to the water. The water covers some 20 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 2.3 km keeps the choices simple. Compared with other Ontario water on our list, it sits high. Wawa lies 61 km from the water. Further out sit Manitouwadge (105 km) and Hornepayne (126 km). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Secret Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The near bank of Secret Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 16°C on average, January about -15°C. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Expect Secret Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. 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. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Widgeon Lake is 7.6 km off. Confirm before you fish Secret Lake.