Fishing John Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  John Lake stands in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. With some 73 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The margin runs to about 5.1 km in total. It is high ground by Ontario standards. Nearest place of any size is Grand Marais, 41 km away. Neebing is 49 km and Westfort 66 km. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on John Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Thunder Bay District include cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt, bloater and shortjaw cisco. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of John Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -15°C. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish John Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. You can camp 290 m off, which suits an early start. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Little John Lake, 1.3 km out. Check the current arrangement for John Lake.