Fishing Siwash Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, sits Siwash Lake. It sits in boreal forest country. Around 81 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The edge covers about 6.0 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Geraldton at 22 km is the nearest place to stop. Then Longlac, 27 km, and Greenstone, 35 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Siwash Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Siwash Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 16°C and January about -19°C. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Siwash Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Mint Lake at 2.1 km is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Siwash Lake for certain.