Fishing South Girvan Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  South Girvan Lake lies in Thunder Bay District, in Ontario. It lies 305 metres above sea level. With some 23 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 2.2 km of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Nearest place of any size is Greenstone, 62 km away. Geraldton follows at 73 km, then Longlac at 94 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on South Girvan Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. South Girvan Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -20°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. Winter locks it down, and early May brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running early May to mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on South Girvan Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, McDonough Lake at 2.5 km is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to South Girvan Lake locally before you travel.