Fishing Udell Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Udell Lake is an Ontario water. The bank is 332 metres above sea level. It runs to roughly 35 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The full circuit measures close to 4.6 km on foot. Nipigon sits 37 km from the bank. Amethyst Harbour is 90 km and Shuniah Township 99 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Udell Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. 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. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Udell Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 17°C, with January the cold end at about -18°C. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Udell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Gadsby Lake at 2.7 km is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish Udell Lake.