Swede Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Swede Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. Around the bank it is northern bush. Around 67 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. The full circuit measures close to 4.6 km on foot. Longlac is the closest town at 52 km. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 286 km away. Other water nearby: Wee Little Lake about 1.6 km, Minnesota Lake at 2.8 km, Pistol Lake about 2.9 km, Eli Lake at 3 km and Levine Lake about 3.4 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Swede Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Swede Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -20°C in January up to 16°C in July. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Swede Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Wee Little Lake sits 1.6 km off and takes the overflow. For Swede Lake in particular, ask before you travel.