Vale Lake Fishing in Thunder Bay District, Ontario

• Overview

  The Thunder Bay District end of Ontario holds Vale Lake. It stands 495 metres above sea level. Small at around 10 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Our Thunder Bay District list holds plenty of bigger water. Grand Marais sits 36 km from the bank. Thunder Bay is the closest city, 78 km away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Vale Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name cisco, blackfin cisco and rainbow smelt. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Vale Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 17°C at the top of summer and -15°C at the bottom of winter. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It sets the rhythm of the year at Vale Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Mapping shows a campsite some 960 m from the water. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Gadwall Lake at 1.3 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Vale Lake before loading the car.