Fishing Upper Narrow Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Thunder Bay District, Ontario, is where Upper Narrow Lake sits. The water sits 286 metres up. Roughly 31 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. There is roughly 3.0 km of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Nipigon is the closest town at 47 km. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 93 km distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Upper Narrow Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Thunder Bay District records list cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The shape of Upper Narrow Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -18°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. The season on Upper Narrow Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Some banks are open only from a marked point. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Lower Narrow Lake at 1.3 km is the nearest alternative. Signs at Upper Narrow Lake carry more weight than any list.