Disclaimer: I have no authority when it comes to fishing. If you are an expert angler and you just want to know about the fish of Pimisi Bay here is your executive summary: There are lots of fish at Pimisi Bay. You can ice fish here as long as the ice is thick enough. The average catch time (from the people I have asked who were trying out fishing here for the first time) is within 40 minutes in the summer, and my resident fish expert is scheduled to come in February to investigate the ice fishing catch times and species caught. Native species include but may not be limited to walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, rock bass and musky. If you keep reading, please understand that there will be little to no valuable fishing information, but instead a great deal of my thoughts about fishing which are in no way helpful. You have been warned.
While I do not have the skill, patience, or fishing rod required to become an expert fisherman, Pimisi Bay is an incredible source of fish year-round for those who love the sport. From casual summer fishing to the more involved ice fishing, there are fish for people to catch, release, or maybe eat (totally up to you and local fishing laws). As I have some deficiencies in my fishing proficiency (say that ten times fast), I consulted the app Fishbrain (this is not sponsored) to see what types of fish live in Pimisi Bay and where you can catch them. From what I have heard from other fishing athletes, this app can be useful for sharing the best locations to catch each type of fish, best months or times of day to catch them, depth counters, and accounts from other people who have caught these fish. Most of these features are under the “Pro” (read “paid”) category, but if you really love fishing for $100/year you can have a guide telling you what bait each type of fish is most likely to love. (If someone can please let me know if different species of fish actually have preferred bait, that would be amazing). As you may imagine, in this app the information available specifically for Pimisi Bay doesn’t have much detail as we are a sort of secret fishing spot the locals don’t like promoting so they can catch all of the fish. Lucky for everyone reading this- I really don’t mind if you catch the fish! I don’t want them! Fish kind of freak me out and I like them best with a side of fries. As I have now established that I am a bona fide fish expert, you will not be surprised to know that I used the free version of Fishbrain, along with accounts from kind people who have fished on Pimisi Bay, to compile this largely unhelpful post about fish. You’re welcome.
Northern Pike
Pike appear to be absurdly large. What business do they have being the size of my Tervuren Shepherd? Did you know that pike have teeth? I wasn’t told fish had teeth when I was growing up, probably because I would have immediately distrusted the goldfish in my house and banished them. I have been warned that if you catch a small fish, pike have been known to eat it off of your hook. They sound like a great time.
Walleye
Here is what I know about the majestic walleye: I play a video game called Disney Dreamlight, and in that game the walleye are one of the most valuable fish you can catch. This leads me to assert- with absolutely no foundation- that catching a walleye must be a momentous occasion in real life too. To be honest their name is so silly I was convinced they were an imaginary fish Disney invented to add more whimsy to the game. When I discovered that they are a) real, b) living on my property, and c) have very stabby fangs for some reason, I decided that even if they are valuable in real life, I would prefer not to interact with them.
Smallmouth Bass
This is the first fish on this list that I believe to be fish-sized. You know how you have an idea in your head about how big something should be? If you had asked me (before my very legitimate fish research) how big a fish in a lake was, I would have assumed they were all about this size. This is a species the internet seems to think will be a good catch during ice fishing season. Carlos- the genius behind this website, the photographer of all of my gorgeous pictures, and master of fish- will be coming in February to test out ice fishing on the bay. I will post an update then with his findings.
Pumpkinseed
This is another fish that I would have bet millions of dollars was not a real fish. If you try to Google them, you need to add the word “fish” or Google will show you actual pumpkinseeds, convincing you further that there is no way someone named a fish pumpkinseed. I found out these fish are also called “sun perch” which I think is a better name. Apparently, this species is quick to bite, making it hard to catch other types of fish if you are floating on top of a school of pumpkinseeds. They are such a gourd fish, make sure you carve out some time to catch them.
Rock Bass
This is the fish that all of my angler friends say is delicious fried. We are in fishing Zone 11 according to the Fisheries Management of Ontario. I recommend looking into the fishing restrictions before you catch and eat them, but I am of the understanding that you are allowed to catch and eat at least some. Here is the link to the fisheries summary of rules and regulations:
https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-11
As Pimisi Bay is fed from Trout Lake, it would be wise to contact your local fishing authority to see if any of the additional fishing restrictions for trout Lake also apply to Pimisi Bay. If you are wondering why this fish summary contains useful information while the others do not, I don’t have an answer for you. You’re welcome, I guess.
Musky
If you have never seen a musky, picture a sad eel with fins. That is a pretty accurate picture of what they look like. Apparently, these fish are considered valuable in some fishing circles, probably due to their eel-like appearance. These fish have at least six pores on each side of their jaw used to detect vibrations in the water. It is unclear from my research if this is a fish or a predatorial sea monster.
Conclusion
The government lists many more species of fish in our area, and of course there are others beyond this list. I wanted to only touch on the fish I am absolutely sure are somewhere in Pimisi Bay because real humans have told me about them. Also, as I am providing no valuable information, I figured for all involved it would be better to keep the list short. Hopefully you will come and try out the fishing here (maybe make it a trip and rent a cabin or dome), and tell me all about it. It would be nice, in the future, to have a more useful post about fishing here. I hope, if nothing else, I have conveyed the potential of fun and incredible memories you can cultivate in our calm blue waters. Whether a novice or a seasoned pro, I hope you try out fishing here!
