Fishing at Thompson Lake, Rainy River District, Ontario

• Overview

  This water sits in Rainy River District, Ontario. It lies 346 metres above sea level. Around 10.96 sq km of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. The perimeter is close to 42 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. It is among the larger waters listed here for Rainy River District. Ely lies 62 km from the water. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 224 km away. Rules here are straightforward: one set of provincial rules.

• Where to Fish on Thompson Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Rainy River District records list northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and walleye among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Thompson Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 19°C at the top of summer and -16°C at the bottom of winter. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate figures give an open season running late April to late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That shapes the year on Thompson Lake.

• 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. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Deer Lake, 2.3 km out. Check the position at Thompson Lake before loading the car.