Fishing Whittle Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  Set in Thunder Bay District, Whittle Lake is an Ontario water. Country round the bank runs to boreal forest. At 7.01 sq km this is proper open water rather than a pond. Some 38 km of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. It ranks high for size among our Thunder Bay District listings. Longlac lies 144 km from the water. Thunder Bay sits 338 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Whittle Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Thunder Bay District, recorded fish include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Take Whittle Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 16°C at the top of summer and -21°C at the bottom of winter. A short, intense season is the rule this far north. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Whittle Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Allbright Lake at 7.5 km is the nearest alternative. Treat Whittle Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.