Widgeon Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  This water sits in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The ground round it is spruce and muskeg. At some 1.44 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. At about 8.8 km of edge, most people work one arm at a time. Wawa is the closest town at 66 km. Manitouwadge lies 97 km off, Hornepayne another 120 km. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Widgeon Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Widgeon Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -15°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Average temperatures cross freezing around early May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Expect Widgeon Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Fox Lake at 4.4 km is the sensible second choice. Rules at Widgeon Lake are worth checking on the day.