Stevens Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Out in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, sits Stevens Lake. It stands 341 metres above sea level. At about 86 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. With 6.9 km or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. For supplies, Longlac is 39 km out. Beyond it, Geraldton at 47 km and Manitouwadge at 58 km. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Stevens Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Stevens Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 16°C; by January the average is down near -18°C. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Stevens Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Little Stevens Lake at 1.4 km is the nearest alternative. Signs at Stevens Lake carry more weight than any list.