Thompson Lake in Nipissing District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Thompson Lake is set in Nipissing District, Ontario. Around the bank it is lake country bush. About 1.80 sq km, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. You are looking at roughly 14 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. It is among the larger waters listed here for Nipissing District. Nearest place of any size is Mattawa, 20 km away. After that come Powassan at 45 km and Callander at 46 km. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Thompson Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Nipissing District records list smallmouth bass, cisco, yellow perch and pumpkinseed among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Thompson Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 18°C and January near -13°C. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Thompson Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Wildgoose Lake sits 2.8 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Thompson Lake before loading the car.