Fishing Snowbird Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  This water sits in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. It sits in pine and birch. Surface area is around 28 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Shoreline comes to about 2.4 km, small enough to learn in a day. 104 km away sits Sioux Lookout, the nearest town. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 245 km distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Snowbird Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Snowbird Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 17°C and January reads -20°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Break-up sits around early May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Snowbird Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try One Pine Lake, 3.4 km away. Check the position on Snowbird Lake before loading the car.