Historically, Lake Nipigon has been called  “Alemibegong,” “Alemipigon,”
“Nemipigon,” “Alimbeg,” etc. Later it was also called Lake Ste. Anne;
on Father Hennepin’s maps of 1682 and 1697 it is named Lake St. Joseph.

At the turn of the century. when the river was known as "the best trout stream in the world", document often spelled it as , "Lake Nepigon". This spelling did not fade into oblivion until the '50's.

• Largest Lake in Ontario, Canada

• Perimeter: 652 miles/1050 km

• North-south length: about 70 miles/110 km

• East-west width: about 50 miles/ 80 km

• Islands: about 500

• Maximum depth: 540 feet/ 165 meters

• Elevation: 1050 feet/320 meters

• Lake area is 90% water 10% Islands

• Maximum surface temperature on lake seldom exceeds 60 F/15 C

• Freeze-up: late December

• Ice break-up: late April - early May

• Water renewal time: 25.6 years

• 38 largest lake in the world

• Open water winds velocities during open water season often exceeds 18 miles/hr  30 km/hr

• Mean July temperature: 59 F/15 C

• Average summer duration: June 10 to September 5

• Average frost free period: 75 - 110 days

• Number of Indian Reserves in vicinity of lake: 4

• Permanent communities on the lake shore: 
MacDiamid and Orient Bay on Pijitawabik Bay, and Gull Bay (Kaiashk Bay).

• Commercial fishing: whitefish, yellow pickerel and lake trout

Known previously by many names,
Lake Nipigon is home to 46 species of fish.

Lake Nipigon