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

• Overview

  This water sits in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. Elevation runs to 397 metres. The water covers some 80 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. There is roughly 6.9 km of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. The closest town, Greenstone, is 38 km distant. For a city, Thunder Bay is 177 km off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Tomahawk Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Thunder Bay District: cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Tomahawk Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 16°C in July and bottom out at -19°C in January. The year here is short and sharp: a long lid, then a burst of open water. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Tomahawk Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Margret Lake at 2 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Tomahawk Lake is worth confirming on the day.