Fishing Squawk Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Squawk Lake sits within Thunder Bay District in Ontario. It lies 451 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 1.94 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. The perimeter runs near 15 km, so plan the walk before you start. It is among the larger waters listed here for Thunder Bay District. Start from Nipigon, 54 km down the road. It is 155 km to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Squawk Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The near bank of Squawk Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 16°C, the coldest about -19°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Look for the thaw near early May; the fishing lifts straight after. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Squawk Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Croon Lake, 3.4 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Squawk Lake.