Willow Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  In Ontario, Willow Lake belongs to Thunder Bay District. It sits in rolling bush country. At about 25 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Bank access stretches around 3.8 km in total. The closest town, Manitouwadge, is 74 km distant. Then Terrace Bay, 88 km, and Schreiber, 100 km. Nearby alternatives: Swamp Lake 9.8 km away, Hayward Lake some 12 km off, Louie Lake 13 km away, Lurch Lake some 14 km off and Elephant Lake 14 km away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Willow Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Willow Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -14°C in January up to 16°C in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Willow Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. One rod, a handful of hooks and floats, and a few small lures are enough for this water. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Swamp Lake at 9.8 km is the nearest alternative. Where Willow Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.