Wilgar Lake in Thunder Bay District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Wilgar Lake belongs to Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The water sits 315 metres up. The water covers some 16 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 2.1 km all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Our Thunder Bay District list holds plenty of bigger water. Greenstone lies 58 km from the water. Further out sit Geraldton (64 km) and Longlac (78 km). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Wilgar Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Take Wilgar Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 16°C and January near -20°C. The freeze holds for the better part of the year. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Wilgar Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Red Paint Lake at 0.7 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Wilgar Lake if anything is unclear.