Solong Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District in Ontario is where Solong Lake sits. Everything around it is taiga. The water covers some 63 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 4.1 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Nearest place of any size is Manitouwadge, 35 km away. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 261 km away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Solong Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Solong Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 16°C and January at -16°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It holds true on Solong Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Musher Lake at 2.3 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Solong Lake.