Twist Lake Fishing near Manitouwadge, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Twist Lake is an Ontario water. It lies 320 metres above sea level. The water covers around 1.30 sq km, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The edge covers about 20 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. Manitouwadge lies 22 km from the water. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 274 km away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Twist Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. 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 and bloater. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Twist Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 16°C. Little of the calendar is open water, so timing counts for everything. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Ice usually gives way near early May, and forms again about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Twist Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Turcak Lake is 5.6 km distant. Ask locally about Twist Lake if anything is unclear.