text by Brad Fenson map by Robert Biron Have It All (part 6) THUNDER BAY, Ontario Make the scene: Fish a Canadian Shield lake or just take in the sights Fishing is understood in the “City by the Bay.” Gas stations stock hooks and sinkers for the last-minute shopper, bait shops bag your minnows with a shot of oxygen to keep them lively, and it’s not hard to find someone to talk to about fishing. Not that angling is the only attraction in this northwestern Ontario city, and for that you can thank the very fact that it is so isolated from other major urban centres (the nearest major city, Winnipeg, is an eight-hour drive away). Perched atop Lake Superior, Thunder Bay boasts all the amenities and attractions of larger cities to the south, along with a slew of Canadian Shield lakes and rivers—the essentials for an ideal family vacation destination. THE HOT SPOTS ANGLING ADVICE 40 Hazelwood Lake: Northern pike, perch, walleye 41 Lac des Mille Lacs: Northern pike, walleye 42 Lake Nipigon: Brook and lake trout, northern pike, walleye, whitefish 43 Little Trout Bay (Lake Superior): Chinook salmon, lake trout, northern pike, perch, smallmouth bass, steelhead, walleye, whitefish 44 Nipigon River: Brook and rainbow trout, chinook salmon 45 Shebandowan Lakes: Northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye 46 Whitefish Lake: Northern pike, perch, walleye GETTING THERE Thunder Bay’s new international airport—Ontario’s third busiest—is served by several major airlines, including Air Canada. If travelling by road, no problem: the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) passes right through the city. • Cedar Hill Resort (Shebandowan Lakes), (807) 926-2871 • Guide Dan Daciw (Thunder Bay), (807) 767-7530 • Nighthawk Charters (Lake Nipigon), (807) 885-3171 • River’s Edge Fly Shop (Thunder Bay), (807) 983-2484 BEYOND FISHING • Boat cruise (Lake Superior): Pioneer II, (807) 623-2628 • Golfing: Northern Lights Golf Complex, (807) 935-2687 • Hiking: Nipigon River Recreational Trail, 1-800-265-3951 • Laser tag: Ron’s Virtual World, (807) 345-4171 • Museums: Old Fort William, (807) 473-2344; Thunder Bay Museum, (807) 623-0801 • Native art: Thunder Bay Art Gallery, (807) 577-6427 • Scuba diving: North Superior Scuba, (807) 345-1161 • Spa: Diane Mauch Esthetics and Day Spa, (807) 345-5484 GOINGS ON • Thunder Bay Children’s Festival: June 12 to 14, (807) 343-2324 • Thunder Bay Blues Festival: July 4 to 6, 1-800-667-8386 • Festa Italiana: August 3 and 4, (807) 345-5511 LEARN MORE • Mahumba’s Fishing Page, • North of Superior Tourism, 1-800-265-3951; • Tourism Thunder Bay, 1-800-667-8386; 1 - HAINES JUNCTION, Yukon Territory 2 - BAMFIELD, B.C. 3 - KANANASKIS COUNTRY, Alberta 4 - LAST MOUNTAIN LAKE, Saskatchewan 5 - WHITESHELL PROVINCIAL PARK, Manitoba 6 - THUNDER BAY, Ontario 7 - LAKE NIPISSING, Ontario 8 - PAPINEAU REGION, Quebec 9 - ANNE'S LAND, P.E.I. 10 - WESTERN NEWFOUNDLAND