Little John Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Little John Lake falls in Thunder Bay District, part of Ontario. It stands 446 metres above sea level. It measures about 16 hectares, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. On size it sits at the modest end of our Thunder Bay District list. Grand Marais is the closest town at 40 km. Further out sit Neebing (49 km) and Westfort (66 km). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Little John Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco, rainbow smelt and bloater. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Little John Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 17°C, the coldest about -15°C. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Little John Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. You can launch: the ramp is 510 m away. There is a car park 480 m from the bank. Public data records a pier about 500 m out. Overnight stays are possible 560 m away. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, McFarland Lake at 1.2 km is the nearest alternative. The position on Little John Lake is worth confirming on the day.