Swill Lake Fishing near Manitouwadge, Ontario

• Overview

  Swill Lake lies in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The ground round it is spruce and muskeg. It measures about 14 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline comes to about 2.0 km, small enough to learn in a day. It is a small entry by Thunder Bay District standards. Start from Manitouwadge, 7.7 km down the road. Longlac is 83 km and Hornepayne 85 km. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Swill Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Thunder Bay District names cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read Swill Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -17°C and July at about 16°C, the water has a wide range to work through. This is a two-season water: locked, then wide open. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Swill Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Mills Lake, 3 km away. For Swill Lake in particular, ask before you travel.