Fishing Shirley Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Shirley Lake sits within Thunder Bay District in Ontario. This is taiga ground. Around 29 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. With about 2.2 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Some 71 km away sits Greenstone, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Geraldton at 79 km and Longlac at 95 km. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Shirley Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater among the fish reported. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Shirley Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -20°C in January up to 16°C in July. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Break-up comes around early May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on Shirley Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Dorsey Lake, 3.6 km away. Check the position on Shirley Lake before loading the car.