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

• Overview

  Look for Mountain Lake in Thunder Bay District, Ontario. The water sits 502 metres up. Surface area runs to roughly 7.96 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. At about 30 km of edge, most people fish a single area and learn it well. It ranks high for size among our Thunder Bay District listings. Nearest town is Grand Marais, 41 km off. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 78 km away. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Mountain Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Thunder Bay District cover cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Treat Mountain Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 17°C and January about -16°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. The water is typically free of ice between early May and mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Mountain Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You can camp 1.2 km off, which suits an early start. Keep the gear simple: light line, small hooks, split shot and a couple of proven lures. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, West Pike Lake is 3.1 km off. What applies at Mountain Lake may have changed since it was mapped.